The Pack
by MandaxPanda
Summary: Werewolf Fic! Cloud's life is far from ideal. His parents hate him, school is useless, and living off of frozen dinners can only provide so much sustenance... only a park of unchecked forest provides a wild chance at life and at love. YAOI CloudxLeon
1. Chapter 1

**The Pack**

**Disclaimer: **I own the plot and that's about it.

Here is a new story! You can call it a werewolf fic, but you soon find that it's a little different. I hope you enjoy! AND IT'S CLEON! REVIEW AND TELL ME IF I SHOULD KEEP UPDATING!

Chapter 1

Despite it's name, living in Radiant Gardens was just like living in any other town… the same houses, the same crime, the same schools, even the same sky…

The only difference was the moderately sized park smack dab in the middle of the city…

It was like they wanted to save at least some of the natural forest after bulldozing a good ninety percent of it…

But that was probably the only reason why I don't leave this place… going for a walk every once in a while in that park always gave me a sense of adventure.

Sometimes, I would lay on the leafy ground and stare up at tree canopies and cry for a change… for something to happen.

My life was going nowhere… I was a sixteen-year-old boy living in a small house with parents who deny my existence. I went to a school where you sit, learn, and watch your life go by with every hour in a classroom.

Some people would call this peace… I call it monotony.

Sometimes… I think I hear whispering coming from that park I pass everyday on my walk home from school. Like the forest is urging me to run… to escape.

And I almost listen every time… almost.

I just…fear that if I leave the life I live now… I'll miss something…

I know that seems strange, saying that I have nothing going for my life and then saying that something might be coming for me… something is bound to happen right?

Nothing stays the same forever... it's like a law of life or whatever… right?

I lean back against the porch stairwell of my house and look to the park…

"You know… people are saying that that forest is haunted." I looked to the couple walking down the sidewalk in front of my house.

"What no way!" the woman said and playfully pushed the guy.

"No I'm serious! A lot of people say they saw a pack of wolves in there. But they always disappear when you look back. But I still wouldn't venture too far in that thing… it's not like many people visit that park anyway… it's too wild." That was the last thing I heard the guy say before their conversation moved out of my hearing range.

I sighed… there were no wolves in the park… I go there almost every day and I have never seen one. I got up and stretched. It was time for dinner and I had to go to the convenience store to buy food…

My parents never make food for me anymore… ever since I came out to them about my sexual orientation.

"_Mom, Dad… I… I know this is going to be a little hard to accept but I… I'm gay… I don't like women at all…" I said with a nervous blush on my face._

"_Get out…" was my dad's reply._

"_What?" I asked._

"_I won't accept this either… Cloud this is ridiculous! Tell me you're joking!" My mother yelled._

"_I… I-I'm not… please try to understand! I didn't choose to be this way!" I yelled._

"_Get out boy!" My dad yelled._

"_Dad! Please!" I begged._

"_I'm no dad of yours." My father said and my mother just turned her head._

I had managed to convince them to let me stay… but only as a tenant and not as a son.

I work at a small bakery on weekends to pay for my food and rent… the store owner was kind enough to hire me even though I was only fourteen at the time.

I entered the store and went to the back where the frozen meals were. I sighed and took out a burrito… they were large and cheap so I bought them often.

"Kid, you must really like frozen dinners… don't you have parents to cook you a well balanced meal? You come here everyday… this isn't healthy." The shop clerk said as I gave him the dollar needed to purchase the burrito.

I just shook my head and left the store. When I got to the house I immediately went to the kitchen to heat up the food. After that was done I took it upstairs so I could eat and then go for my walk in the park.

I try my hardest to stay out of the house as long as possible.

I ran down the porch stairwell and began walking across the street.

"Hey! You two! Get back here!" I heard a gruff voice yell.

I turned to look behind me and saw two boys running at an extremely fast pace straight towards me.

My eyes widened when I realized they weren't going to wait for me to move out of the way.

I tried to move out of the street to let them pass but they were too fast. I cringed when one of the boys pushed me down and my body slid on the pavement.

When I pushed myself up I looked at the running backs of the two males. There was something odd about them.

And that's when I noticed the hats on their heads. They were weird snow caps with dog ears on top.

Must be some of those anime freaks.

I winced and looked at my hands; they were all scratched up. I blew on them and stood.

"Are you okay kid? That guy pushed you pretty hard." The gruff voice from before spoke and I turned to see a man with an apron behind me.

"I'm fine… what was up with those guys?" I asked.

"Those punks stole some of my prime cuts…" he said.

"Prime cuts?" I asked.

"I'm a butcher. They stole prime cuts of raw meat. I don't know how they do it, but they always sneak in without a sound and it's always to late when I catch them." The butcher grumbled.

"Why would they steal raw meat?" I wondered out loud. I mean if they were homeless, wouldn't they steal something where you don't need home appliances to cook it?

"I don't know… but they are really putting a damper on my income…" The butcher said solemnly.

"I'm sorry sir…" I said and decided to go on my walk regardless of my injured hands.

"Be careful kid… those guys might still be out there."

"I'll be fine." I said and walked through the trees. If I hurried I could get to my special spot before the sun set.

It took about thirty minutes to get there. It was probably really close to the middle of the park. There was a small group of four trees forming a square. It was strange how the trees were so large but so close to each other. Larger trees usually need more room than that. I liked it though because most of the leaves would fall into the middle of the square, forming a little nest that I would often sit in and look to the sky.

I plopped down on the leaves and leaned against one of the trees. I picked up a leaf and started to bend the edges of it. I sung a song to myself as I played with the leaves.

"_Within the journey, where I grew lost all alone. Only my heart wandered and stood still. But now I can walk very far… That's right, after I met you._

_On this road, unknown songs that travelers sing- they sound familiar to me. If I'm just with you._

_If the world that I dreamed of exists somewhere, then shall we go search for it? To the other side of the wind. Let's go see the end of the freezing daybreaks, parched mid-days, and shivering dark nights…"_

I only got that far into the song when I dozed off. I didn't realize how tired I was until I was comfortable enough to go to sleep.

I jerked awake when I felt something cold and wet touch my face. "What the!" I started and turned to see an angry looking male staring down at me.

"Who are you and what are you doing here so late?" He asked angrily.

That's when I realized I could barely make out his face in the darkness. It must have been at least nine thirty. The man continued to stare. His eyes glowing slightly in the night.

"Ummmm, I'm sorry… I just… fell asleep without realizing…" I said and moved to stand.

When I was up on my feet I looked at the man. He was only a little taller than me but he was definitely larger than I was muscle wise. His hair must have been brown because it looked black in the night.

Then I noticed the hat on his head. It was one of the guys from before.

"Hey! You're one of the guys that pushed me down! Why would you steal raw meat from a butcher! That man is losing a lot of money because so you! You should apologize or return the meat or at least… or… or…" I trailed off.

The mans face looked livid… I kept my mouth shut so I wouldn't set him off into a fit of rage.

"You don't know anything…" he whispered threateningly.

I took a step away from him. "S-sorry… it's j-just…" I trailed off again when he stepped closer to me.

"Shut up! Your people stole our homes and turned it into a rancid city that smells of nothing but garbage. Don't say anything to me about theft. Get out of here… we don't want your people taking this land as well." He said hatefully and started to walk away.

"My people? What are you talking about? Are you on drugs?" I said and grabbed his arm.

He immediately whipped around to slap my face and wrench his arm back. "Don't touch me with your filth." He said and I rubbed at my face to ease the sting.

I run in front of him and stood in his path. "That hurt! I didn't do anything to you! You should apologize to me. First you push me down and then you slap me in the face and call me dirty! The only reason I'm dirty is because you pushed me to the ground in the first place!" I yelled angrily. I don't know what was wrong with me… this guy was definitely off his rocker and I was provoking him!

"You. Should. Know. Your. Place!" he growled and with every word he took a step towards me.

I stood frozen when he lifted his fist to punch me.

"Squall! What are yo-" I turned my head and saw another man with that strange hat on his head.

"Who is this?" the man said. "Are you gonna kill him? Xemnas is gonna be really mad…"

"No… I wasn't going to kill him… but I wouldn't mind teaching him a lesson." Squall said.

The other man gave me a once over. "Kitten's kinda cute… we should keep him."

"What are you stupid, Zack? That's disgusting. I'd rather kill him than keep him!" Squall yelled angrily.

I started to slowly back away from them, hoping they wouldn't notice me leaving if I was quiet enough.

"I don't know why you're trying to get away kitty… we can easily catch up to you." Zack almost purred.

I took two steps back and bumped into a chest. I immediately yelped and whipped around.

"You guys want to keep this one… I want to eat him… his clothes smell bad but his skin smells nice." Another hat-wearing man stepped closer to me and licked his lips.

I was completely cornered. What was I going to do?

I thought quickly. I grabbed some dirt off of the ground and threw it in the man's face. The minute he went to rub at his eyes, I took my chance to run.

It was unfortunate that my freedom only lasted ten seconds. I yelled loudly when I felt arms wrap around me.

"Shut up! Calm down! We won't hurt you if you stop struggling." Squall said and threw me over his shoulder.

"What do you mean we won't hurt him! That bitch threw dirt in my face!" One of them growled.

"We should take him to Xemnas… he'll tell us what to do with him." Squall said and started to walk.

"Sounds like a plan!" Zack yipped and followed Squall. "Xigbar! Quit your whimpering and come with us!"

Xigbar growled and followed.

I was panicking. My heart was pumping like crazy and I wasn't sure what was going to happen to me.

"Awe, poor kitty is scared! I can smell it! We should make him feel a little better! I promise Xemnas is a nice guy when he's in a good mood. The worst thing that could happen is that you become our dinner and I promise I'll enjoy every bite of you so don't worry!" Zack said excitedly.

"WHAT! NO! LET GO OF ME!" I screamed and flailed. I whacked Squall in the back of his head and he dropped me.

I hit the ground running.

"Hey! You are not getting away!" Xigbar said and moved to run after me.

"Xig… leave him…" I heard Squall say as I made my escape.

"But Squall!" Zack whined. "What if-"

"He won't… just let him leave… we can always track him down later… let him run." Was the last thing I heard before I concentrated on getting out of the park.

When I finally entered my room, it was around midnight. It was a lot harder to leave the forest after the sun went down.

I flopped on my bed and put a hand to my racing heart in an attempt to calm down. When I was finally free I didn't stop running until I was safe inside.

"Who… were they?" I asked myself through my gasps.

It was only twenty minutes later that I finally fell asleep, having dreams of dog-eared people with glowing eyes.

A/N: There you have it! The very first chapter of The Pack. Please review!


	2. Chapter 2

**The Pack**

**Disclaimer: **I only own the plot!

Thanks so much for your reviews guys! Hopefully I'll get even more as I update. (Hint hint… review!) I know the first chapter was kind of an introduction so I decided I would update again.

Chapter 2

I woke to the sound of my alarm clock.

It was Saturday and I needed to go to the bakery for work.

I got up and went into the bathroom. I took off my clothes and put them in my hamper. I would have to wash that school uniform later. I took my shower and put on a pair of jeans and t-shirt. We didn't have a uniform at the bakery but we did have to wear an apron over our clothes.

I sighed and ran a hand through my gravity defying hair. Memories of yesterday night were making their way into my head… it made me a little uncomfortable when I realized I would have to go outside.

Would they come and find me… that guy, Squall, said they could hunt me down… like a pack of wolves.

I still can't even wrap my head around what the hell they were talking about! _My _people? They didn't really look any different from me… they looked like normal humans…

Normal humans! Am I going crazy? Of course they were normal humans, there's no other kind of human!

I sighed again and walked through the front door, but not before checking to see if the cost was clear. When it was I walked down the stairs and walked briskly towards the bakery… it was maybe ten blocks away from the house.

I looked at my watch, it was 6:45. I was supposed to open the shop at seven, so I walked a little faster so I wouldn't be late.

I took my key and opened the shop door, I then turned the open sign on and walked to the cash register. I turned it on and unlocked the drawer. When that was done, I went to the back to start on the breads.

"Good morning Cloud! I know you're in the back!" I heard a voice call from the front.

"Hey, Tidus!" I called in reply. "Can you just stay at the front and keep the customers busy when they come in? The breads are not going to be ready until around eight. But the muffins wont take long, once I put these loaves in the oven I can start on those." I said.

"Man, you are too dedicated to this job… but I admire the work ethic. Do you need any help back there?" Tidus asked and walked to the kitchen.

"Well, do you know when Nami's getting here?" I asked.

"Yeah, she should be here in around ten minutes." He said.

"Well, then I would rather you just stay in the front and have Naminé help me when she gets here." I said.

"C'mon Cloud! I burn the bread one time and now I'm banned from the kitchen! That is so wrong!" Tidus exclaimed.

"I just don't want to take any chances and besides, you have charm! You should stay in the front and talk with the customers!" I said.

"You know, you're right!" Tidus said with a toothy grin.

In some odd coincidence, every person employed in this bakery is blond. Tidus, Naminé, and I are the trio that works on the weekends. Rufus, Roxas, and Seifer work the weekdays… I really don't know how Roxas puts up with Rufus and Seifer… but for some strange reason, the team just clicks.

After needing the dough and forming the right shapes, I placed the breads in the oven. I washed my hands and started on the blueberry muffins. I was taking the blueberries out of the fridge when Naminé walked inside.

"Have you done the banana nut muffins yet?" She asked.

"No, could you make them?" I asked and rinsed the berries before placing them in the batter.

"Oh! You know what I saw this morning that I thought was so cool?" Nami started.

"What?" I asked.

"There was this guy that I saw on my way here. He had this really cute snow cap with doggie ears! It was so cool! The ears looked so real I was tempted to walk up and ask to touch them! But I didn't… that would be really weird." She said.

My eyes widened… They were really tracking me down… and so soon? "Really?" I said in an attempt to hide my surprise.

"I wonder where he got it… I want one…" she said and placed the pecans in the batter.

"Well, maybe the guy will come to the shop." I said. _I hope not…_

"That would be the perfect opportunity to ask him too." Naminé said happily.

I started to pour batter into the greased pan made for muffins. When that was finished I placed the pan into the oven and grabbed the bagels and took them to the front.

"Hey, are you going to buy something? Coffee maybe?" I heard Tidus say as I approached the counter.

If I hadn't already put the bagels down, I would have dropped them.

That Squall guy was standing there as if waiting for me to come out so he can abduct me!

I turned quickly and moved back into the kitchen. "I don't know Naminé, that guy looks like a murderer." I said and went back to starting the croissants.

"Well, I don't really think murderers wear cute hats so I'm going to say hi." Nami said and started to move to the front.

"Nami! I'm serious! That guy will _kill _you!" I whispered harshly.

"Stop being so judgmental! The guy is probably really nice." She said and walked out the kitchen door.

I followed her, hoping I could prevent her from getting herself killed.

"Hey! Welcome to The Bakery… I have to say that I saw you on my way here and I think your hat is really cool!" Nami said and smiled.

Squall nodded and said, "Father gave it to me." He looked to me and stared unblinkingly… my eyes were watering just watching him.

"Ummmm, do you need something…" I asked nervously.

"Outside." He said.

"Well, I'm kind of working so you'll have to wait until my break." I said.

He nodded and stood at the door, unmoving, like a guard dog. I gulped and walked back into the kitchen… I didn't think he was really going to wait for me! I'm so dead.

"I thought you didn't know the guy." Naminé said.

"Well, I met him yesterday in the park." I said, basically telling the truth.

"You mean that jungle they call a park? Do you really go in there?" Nami asked.

"Yeah… it's not that bad." I said and started rolling the croissants.

"Do you not like him?" she asked.

"Well, he's more than a little odd. I'm pretty sure he's crazy." I said and checked on the bread's progress.

"I think you're being mean… just because he's quiet and weird doesn't make him crazy." She said with a pout.

"If I humor the guy and live to tell you about it… I'll believe he's not crazy." I said and continued my cooking.

When everything was finally cooked, I took them all out and placed them in different baskets. When that was done, Naminé and I placed them in the window for customers to see. I had to say, if there was one thing I would proud about in life, it was my job. Being here made my life worth living, seeing all the happy smiles on the customers that purchase our warm breads and pastries.

The bakery and the park walks… they made me happy.

But right now, my happiness was being threatened by a strange man standing at the door.

What was I going to do about him? He obviously wasn't going to leave without me. I looked to the door.

He was watching me… I shivered.

"Excuse me, could I have one of these muffins and a coffee to go?" A woman asked.

"Certainly, would you like cream and sugar?" I asked.

"Yes please… ummmm, did you know that that man at the door has been watching you since I entered?" The woman whispered.

"Yes… don't mind him." I said and handed her coffee over with a smile. "That'll be three dollars." I said.

She handed me the money and I placed it into the cash register. I turned to Tidus, "Could you clean the tables?" I asked.

"No prob!" he said and grabbed a damp towel.

I heard the door open and I watched a woman walk inside. I cringed as the smell of perfume spread around the room.

That's when I noticed Squall wince, hold his nose and move to the other side of the bakery.

That was a little odd… I mean the smell was bad but it wasn't that bad.

"A caramel macciato please, and one of those precious looking croissants…" she said.

"Um, ma'am… we don't sell caramel macciatos. We have espressos, café au lait, hot tea, ice tea, water, and juices." I spouted the beverage menu off the top of my head.

"I don't want that. I want a macciato." She said.

"We don't have that… I'm sorry… but here's a croissant." I said and handed her a bag.

She knocked the bag out of my hands and scoffed. "A macciato." She said and glared.

"Ma'am… you're making a scene. If you won't buy anything you need to leave." I said.

"Well, what about him?" she yelled and pointed to Squall who stared at us blankly.

"He's waiting for the whole grain bread to come out of the oven ma'am." I lied quickly.

"Well, I won't leave until I have what I want! The customer is always right!" she yelled.

I was getting a little angry with this woman. I can't make you a caramel fucking macciato! I don't have the time or the equipment.

I turned and made a cup of coffee, put milk in sugar in it, walked into the kitchen and found the caramel. I heated it and poured some into the coffee. After that was done I went back out and put some whipped cream on top. I handed her the cup and gave her the bag again. "Ten dollars please." I said.

"What? Ten dollars!" she exclaimed.

"Ma'am I just went out of my way to make you something that wasn't even on the menu. Believe it or not, but the ingredients to make caramel are pretty expensive so…" I trailed off.

She scoffed and tossed a ten-dollar bill in my face. When she left I sighed. Tidus walked over to me and laughed.

"Did you really make her a caramel macciato?" he asked.

"No… I made her a regular coffee and poured some caramel in it… I wonder how it came out?" I said.

"And you made her pay ten dollars for it?" he asked.

I nodded with a smirk.

Tidus laughed again and gave me a nuggie. "You are a genius sometimes."

"Thank you, thank you." I said and bowed.

"Excuse me? Can I have a banana nut muffin?" I small voice asked.

I looked around. "Who said that?" I asked.

"Excuse me." The small voice said again.

I leaned over the counter and looked down. There was a small girl with pigtails.

"Well, of course you can have one. Where's your mommy?" I asked.

"She just left… she forgot to ask for my muffin… she looked really mad." The girl said.

Wait, was the woman who just left…

"Mommy was mad because she said her ma-macci-macciano tasted bad." The little girl said.

This little angel was the child of that devil? I smiled at the girl.

"You wanted a banana nut muffin you said?" I asked.

"Yes please." She said.

I took out a muffin and placed it in a bag. After that I took out a small bottle of milk.

"Here you go sweetie." I said.

"Umm, how much do I have to pay?" she asked.

I moved from behind the counter and handed her the bag and the milk. "It's free, but don't tell anyone okay?" I said and winked.

The little girl beamed. "Really?"

"Yep. You have a good day okay?" I said.

"Thank you, mister." She said and walked out of the door.

"You really like kids, don't you?" Naminé asked.

"Well, the kid's mom paid ten dollars for a three dollar purchase, I figured giving the kid a muffin and a bottle of milk for free would make it even." I explained.

"That was nice of you." Nami said.

I shrugged and waited for the next customer. I noticed that Squall had returned to his normal spot at the door.

When the next person walked in I smiled. "What can I get for you?" I asked.

"Well, how much would I have to pay for a slice of you?" I guy said and wiggled his eyebrows.

I cringed. "Reno, that was a terrible attempt at hitting on me." I said.

"Well, when I try seriously I never get a reaction." He said.

"That's because I don't really like you like that." I replied.

"Well, I try." He smiled. "Can I get a bagel and cream cheese?" he asked.

"Sure. That's a dollar and fifty cents." I said.

He handed me the money and I handed him a bag. He grabbed my wrist and pulled me close.

"Please let go Reno." I said.

"I think I want a kiss first." He said and I started to struggle a little.

He moved his face closer… I winced and squirmed to get from his hold.

There was a growling noise.

Reno jerked back. "Did you hear that? It sounded like a dog was in here…" he said and looked around.

I shrugged. It didn't really matter to me… at least I was out of his grip.

Tidus and Naminé came back from out of the kitchen. "Hey, Reno! Are you harassing Cloud? Get out man!" Tidus said and moved to shoo Reno out of the bakery.

Reno glared at Tidus and left.

I sighed. "Thanks Tidus." I said and rubbed at my temples.

"Sorry, I was in the back looking for a cleaning product for the windows." Tidus explained.

"It's alright, he just grabbed me a little." I said.

"That creep really should find someone else." Naminé said and shook her head.

We all went back to our duties. As I was wiping the counter down I couldn't help but wonder what that noise was.

I looked to Squall. I wouldn't put it past him to make dog noises as well as act like one.

Crazy guy…

When my shift was finally over it was around six. I yawned and took my apron off. "Who's locking up?" I asked.

"I will, you go on ahead." Tidus said.

"Okay." I said and then I realized that I would have to leave with Squall. I looked to the door where he was waiting. I whined internally.

He _did_ wait a good ten hours for me… I mean if he really wanted to kill me, would he really sit in this bakery all day for me to be done?

I sighed and walked to the door. Squall opened the door. I nodded and walked out.

He grabbed my arm and started to pull me down the street.

"Um, where are we going?" I asked, gearing myself to run if I felt I needed to.

"Home." he said.

"What? My parents will not let you in the house." I said.

"No. My home." He said and we crossed the street.

"Um, I don't really feel comfortable going into a complete strangers house." I said nervously.

"You're coming with me." He said simply.

I wrenched myself from his grip and started to run down the street. I didn't want to go with this freak! He scares the shit out of me!

I looked back to see if he was chasing me only to bump into someone and fall back.

"You're not getting away this time." Squall said.

"H-how did you? W-when did you get in front of me?" I asked in confusion.

He pulled me up and kept a tight grip on my arm. "Stop, running away. You're like a small animal… even your heartbeat is racing." He said and pulled me in the right direction again.

When the forest came into view I started to squirm again. "You are not taking me in that forest! I don't want to go!" I yelled.

Squall whipped around. "Look! I'm tired of your whining! If you don't shut up yourself, I will make you shut up!" he snapped.

I quieted. "Let go of me. I won't run." I said.

Squall gave me a skeptical look.

"You're really hurting my arm." I said.

He growled before letting go.

"Ummm, I know this is probably a stupid question but were you the one that growled when Reno was bothering me?" I asked.

"The man smelled like he wanted to eat you." Squall said.

"Well, thank you…" I said.

There was probably about an hour and a half of walking before Squall stopped.

"Where are we?" I asked.

"Squall, you caught the guy!" Zack said and I turned to see three men behind me, all wearing hats with ears.

"Of course I did. Xemnas ordered me to."

"Well, the sun is setting, I would love to get this meeting over with." Xigbar said.

"Why do we need this guy anyway?" The third man asked.

"Well, Riku we're about to find out. Xemnas is almost here. Along with Sora and Kairi." Zack said.

"Those pups are growing like wildflowers. Sora and Kairi need to stop getting older… it makes me feel like an old dog." Xigbar said.

"Well, the last time I checked Xiggy, you were an old dog!" Zack said.

There was a yelp when Xigbar banged his fist on Zack's head.

Zack whimpered as he rubbed his head.

My eyes widened when I realized the ears on Zack's hat were lying flat on his head.

The ears move?

"Squally! Squally!" a small boy yelled as he bounded towards Squall.

"Sora, the meeting is about to start, I need you to keep it down." Squall said, unamused.

I looked to see a large silver haired man situate himself on a large boulder and stare down at all of us.

I gasped when I looked at the top of his head.

Silver ears were there, but there wasn't any hat.

"W-what is g-going on? That guy has dog ears!" I yelled.

"We all do silly!" a little girl, Kairi, said.

I watched as they all took off their hats and wiggled their ears.

Was I going crazy! This was not normal.

"Don't be alarmed. We don't mean you any harm." Xemnas said.

"Who are you? No… what are you?" I asked.

"We are _loup garou_."

"Y-you m-mean l-like werewolves?" I asked in disbelief.

"I guess you could say that." Xemnas stated.

"I can't believe this! This is crazy!" I yelled.

"Well, Squall may you do the honors?" Xemnas asked.

Squall nodded and started to take his shirt and pants off.

"What are you doing!" I asked with a blush.

The next thing I know, a large midnight blue colored wolf stood before me. Stormy grey-blue eyes shining as it came closer.

I opened my mouth to scream but someone covered my mouth. "C'mon kitty, we're not that scary. We're not going to hurt you, we just want to talk. Calm down." Zack said and then let go of me.

I took a deep breath to calm myself. "Okay…" I said.

Squall reverted from a wolf and I immediately averted my eyes from his naked form.

There were a couple of wolf-whistles (literally) as Leon put on his clothes.

When he was finished I looked to Xemnas. "You wanted to talk?" I asked.

"We need your help." Xemnas started.

A/N: Ohhhh! What's going to happen next! Review to find out!


	3. Chapter 3

**The Pack**

**Disclaimer: **PLOT IS MINE… the rest, not so much…

Weee! The third chapter! And I want to say thank you to everyone that is reading and enjoying and reviewing this story. The only request I have is that I get at least five reviews for every chapter that way I feel better about updating.

Chapter 3

"M-my help? What could I possibly do?" I asked, completely shocked.

"You are not one of us but you seem to be the right person for us to ask. I can smell it and I can feel it… it's instinct. My gut is telling me that you are the only one we can trust. It has to be… Squall found you in the sacred spot and didn't kill you for being there, why is that? Because his gut told him not to."

"Sacred spot? You mean those four trees?" I asked.

"That place is where the leaders of the pack are born. Sora and Kairi were born there two years ago!" Zack piped in.

"I had no idea…" I said. "I'm sorry if I was disturbing such a special place… it was just so nice to be there. It was always so warm…" I trailed.

"Well now you know…" Riku said and pulled on Sora's tail in an attempt to stop him from running off.

Wait… tail?

"Why does Sora have a tail?" I asked.

"He's royalty… he's going to be the next pack leader… Kairi has one too… they are destined to be king and queen, to put it in human terms." Riku explained.

"This is all so mind boggling! You've been in this forest for generations, without anyone knowing?" I asked.

"No, and that's why we need your help. We've been discovered quite a few times. Only this time, the one who found us plans to reveal us to the world. He's been setting traps everywhere. The more we escape, the more elaborate they become. It's to the point where if one of us gets caught, you can't escape alone. We've tried traveling in pairs, but that only makes us more vulnerable." Xemnas explained.

"How is that?" I asked.

"Who ever knows about us, knows about our disguise too." He said.

"Yeah, so when me and Xiggy are roaming and I get caught, essentially he gets caught too. We need someone who's human to help us out… that way it reduces the discovery of all of us. Right now the guy probably thinks there is only four of us. Me, Xiggy, Riku, and Squall. We've all been caught before." Zack explained.

"So you need me to get you guys out of the traps whenever you get caught, so that you guys won't reveal yourselves anymore." I asked.

"Exactly." Xemnas said.

"I don't see why I can't do it… but I have school and work on the weekends…" I said.

"We don't move much during the morning. It's only later in the afternoon and at night that we are on the move." Xigbar said.

"I think it'll work out then." I said.

"Why do you agree so quickly?" Squall asked.

"To tell you the truth… my life outside of the bakery, really sucks…I'm always alone and there's really no one I can depend on. I feel kind of useless… like I'm wasting my life. If I help you… I'll feel more useful and I won't always be alone." I said with a soft smile.

Squall grunted and his ears twitched a little.

"Yay! Kitty's on our side! We should totally commemorate this moment. Too bad we can't howl, that would completely blow our cover. I'm just so excited right now! We have a new friend! Our pack just grew by one!" Zack yipped excitedly and ran into the bushes.

I cocked my head in confusion.

A larger dark brown wolf hopped out of the bushes and pounced on me.

"Ahhh!" I yelled and tried to push the huge dog off of me.

He started licking my face.

"Th-that tickles!" I giggled and started to pet Zack. Zack moved from on top of me and sat.

_Pet me more! _Zack's voice rang in my head.

"WAH!" I yelped and looked around.

"Yeah, you'll get used to that. It's strange at first, but after a while it becomes natural." Riku said as he watched Sora and Kairi play wrestle.

"So you can talk to me, in my head?" I asked.

_Yep! _Was all of their voices at once. I jumped. "That is too weird." I said.

Zack the wolf nudged his wet nose in my cheek. _Pet me!_

I reached and started to scratch behind his ears.

"HAHAHAHA! ZACK! YOUR TAIL IS WAGGING LIKE SOME COMMON DOG!" Xigbar teased.

Zack snarled at Xigbar. _Well, it's not my fault that it feels good to be scratched behind the ears!_

"I can pet you too if you want." I said with a smile.

"NO! I won't degrade myself in such a way. I will not be treated like a house dog." Xigbar grumbled.

It didn't sound like his heart was in it though. I walked up to him and noticed his left eye.

It had a large scar on it. I hadn't noticed it before.

_Probably because you were scared shitless. _Xigbar smirked.

I jumped. "You can read my thoughts!" I yelled.

_Yep! _Was all of their voices again.

"Okay! No, I absolutely forbid that! You cannot, under any circumstances, read my thoughts! It's a complete invasion of my privacy!" I yelled, very disturbed by the fact.

"We will respect your privacy… everyone, it is now forbidden to read the boy's thoughts." Xemnas demanded.

"Yes." The others replied.

I sighed, feeling better. "Thank you. My name is Cloud by the way." I said.

They nodded.

I turned back to Xigbar. "You shouldn't pick on Zack, you know. I think you'll like it just the same." I smiled.

"No way. The only reason Zack likes it is because he has no pride as a wolf. I do however and I… I…" He trailed off when I started scratching behind his ears.

I smirked.

"HAHAHHAHAHA! WHAT WERE YOU JUST TALKING ABOUT? PRIDE OF A WOLF! YOU'RE EXACTLY THE SAME AS ME! IT FEELS GOOD RIGHT?" Zack laughed loudly.

I patted Xigbar's head twice and turned.

"Ah! Zack! Put on your clothes please!" I yelled and covered my face.

"What? You have one too! Why are you humans so modest? Actually, I think I understand. I mean your bodies are pretty freaky… there's like no hair, and you smell bad…" Zack said and wiggled his fingers and toes. "But the opposable thumb thing is pure genius… I can pick u-"

"Zack! Clothes!" Riku and Xigbar yelled.

"Oh! Sorry, sorry!" Zack said and went back into the bushes.

I tried to erase the blush off my face. How is it that I've never seen the naked body of another male in my entire life, but after meeting these guys, I see two very attractive ones in the span of an hour?

I smacked myself. Did I really just think they were attractive! They're not even human!

"Ummm, are you okay Cloud? You hit yourself pretty hard there…" Riku asked.

I snapped out of it. "Yeah… sorry." I said.

"Awww, he smells embarrassed. It's okay. We won't laugh at you!" Zack said, now fully clothed.

I blushed and scooted away from him a little. "About what you said earlier… do we really smell bad?" I asked.

"You don't… you smell like bread and fruits." Two small voices said.

I looked to see Sora and Kairi looking at me. I smiled. They were so cute!

I patted their heads and said. "Thank you. That makes me feel better." I said.

"It's really the other ones out there that I was talking about. The smells are always too strong. Sometimes they're tolerable, but other times you're forced to hold your nose!" Zack said.

"Your kind cleans with… what is it… soap? And then there's the perfune… or something like that? It's awful…" Riku explained.

"The soaps are not that bad… but the perfune! It kills my brain cells!" Xigbar yelled.

"Perfume…" I corrected.

"Xigbar… you never had any brain cells!" Zack laughed, only to yelp when a fist came down on his head.

I laughed.

"We like you Cloud! Play with us!" Sora and Kairi said, tails wagging in excitement.

"Okay, what game?" I asked.

My eyes widened when the two pounced. "WAH!"

"They want to wrestle with you. That's a great honor. That means they want to be your friend." Riku said.

"I don't want to hurt them though…" I said.

"You won't… they're indestructible, those two… believe me, they'll have more fun if you fight back." Riku said.

I nervously pushed Sora off me and tugged lightly on Kairi's ear.

They giggled and pushed at me. I smiled and got up to run around.

I ran in circles. Sora laughed and caught my leg. Kairi sat for a second feeling dizzy from watching me.

I fell to the ground and laughed. Kairi got up and jumped on me. I pulled on their tails.

"Oh! You play dirty!" They yelled and growled at me.

"Sorry I couldn't help myself-Ah!" I yelped as Sora nipped at my arm.

Kairi nipped my leg. It felt like pinches!

I tried to get up to run again. I couldn't, they had my legs. "Alright! You win!" I laughed.

"Yeah!" They yipped and I petted their heads. They were adorable.

Sora yawned and snuggled against my arm. Kairi did the same against my side and fisted my shirt.

"You actually wore them out… That's like a miracle in itself." Xigbar said.

I smiled and looked at their dozing faces. Sora's ear twitched and his tail wagged for a second.

My stomach growled. I blushed and hid my face with my arm. "Sounds like I'm hungry." I said. "I need to get back."

"Awww! You really have to go Kitty? You should stay with us! We can feed you right?" Zack asked.

"Zack, humans can't stomach raw meat." Riku said.

"Awwwww… that stinks…" Zack sighed.

"Well, on Sundays I get off of work at four. I can come back tomorrow." I said and gently peeled myself away from the sleeping kids.

"Good!" Zack said with a yip.

"Squall." Xemnas said.

Squall looked to Xemnas. "Yes."

"Walk Cloud home. It's getting very dark, he might get lost." Xemnas said.

Squall nodded and got up. "Come." He said and I followed behind him.

It was maybe after ten minutes that Squall stopped walking.

"Is there something wrong?" I asked.

"Walk beside me." He said.

I moved to his right and we walked.

"Why did you stop?" I asked.

"There was a trap… I didn't want you stepping in."

"Oh. Thanks." I said.

"You were good to the pups." He stated.

"Huh?" I asked.

"You bonded well with them, and they took to you quickly."

"What? I'm sure it's-"

"They were comfortable enough to sleep in your presence. For them to become so vulnerable in front of you is a great honor." He said.

"Well, I like them. They're very sweet." I said.

Squall smirked. "You know, for a male, you sure don't act like one."

"What! That's not true! Just because I like kids doesn't make me a girl!" I yelled.

"You acted more like a mother dog playing with her pups than a father." Squall stated.

"Go back. I'll find my way home by myself." I growled.

"What? You're kidding? I bet you can barely see three feet in front of you."

"Go back!" I yelled and pushed him as hard as I could. "I won't have you damage my pride any longer. Go! I don't need your help!" I yelled angrily and stomped off.

Squall didn't follow.

I sighed in relief and decided I would just walk in the direction we were going in. I'd probably reach the end of the park sooner or later.

I growled. "I can't believe that _dog_ called me a girl! I can hold my own in a fight and I support myself. How dare he?"

It was maybe midnight when I finally got out of the forest. Ten minutes later I was home, hunger forgotten.

I walked to my room, got inside, and flopped on my bed. I looked at my shoulders and arms.

They weren't as large as Squall's but they were toned. I'm not some flimsy female. Just because I am good with kids and nicer than most, doesn't make me less of a man…

Does it?

I'll show him! I can do whatever he can!

Except turn into a wolf and eat raw meat…

You just wait Squall! You've challenged me and I will not lose!

I fell asleep with that in mind.

A/N: Hehe! I love Cloud! He thinks he's the seme… silly boy! Not in my stories! GO REVIEW NOW!


	4. Chapter 4

**The Pack**

**Disclaimer: **Not me… except for the plot!

So far there's really been no confusion, but I want to put this in. Here's a general description of a werewolf in the story: The Loup Garou are in various small packs around the world. They dwell in both city and rural areas. All Loup Garou have wolf ears that do not disappear even in human form. The Alphas and their mates of the pack also have a tail that doesn't disappear in their human form. Loup Garou hide their ears (and sometimes tails) with hats and long coats. But those that live in secluded areas don't hide them at all. Loup Garou can run extremely fast for long periods of time. They can also jump very far and high. Loup Garou can read the minds of other members of the pack or those they share connections with. They are very intuitive beings and can sense changes in emotion, weather changes, danger, and other things. Another ability that Loup Garou have in this story is that they can heal wounds quickly by licking them. Loup Garou also share deep connections with their mates but that will come later.

Chapter 4

I got to the bakery later than usual. It wasn't my job to open the shop on Sundays, but I usually make it a point to get there a little early in case I need to help out.

But not today.

When I entered the shop Tidus smiled. "Good morning, you're a little late today. Nami's already started on the bread muffins. She told me she wanted you to make something sweet, like dessert." Tidus said.

I nodded. I always liked making the sweet stuff because there was always a cheerful reaction to the taste.

"What kind of dessert did she want?" I asked.

"I don't know, but make something with phyllo dough. We have a lot of it." Tidus said.

"Hmmmm…" I hummed. "I can make tarts?" I said.

"No… I don't think Nami wants something like that."

"Ah!" it hit me. "I can make baklava! I love that stuff!" I said with a smile.

"Yeah, I think the customers would like that." Tidus said and shooed me off to the kitchen.

"Tidus, can I ask you something?" I started.

"Shoot."

"Do you think I'm girly?" I asked.

"What's this about?" he asked.

"Well, someone told me I wasn't manly and I wanted a second opinion." I said.

"Well, I think that the guys that doubt their own manliness are the ones that aren't very manly." Tidus said.

"I'm not doubting my manliness. I think I'm a typical warm-blooded male. But that doesn't really matter if everyone else thinks I'm girly." I said.

"Look man, I don't think you're girly. But there are some times were you can be a little sensitive. And it doesn't help that you're every gay man's fantasy. Don't even try to deny that, last week you had like seven men hit on you, and that's not including Reno." Tidus said.

"Thanks. I knew I wasn't girly. But I can't believe that guy would say that I act more like a mother than I do a father around kids." I grumbled.

"Wait… I thought this was a question of manliness. Cloud, if this is about whether or not you're a mom in a boy's body, than that guy is totally right." Tidus said.

"WHAT?" I yelled.

"Dude, you have maternal instincts. There's no doubt about it. There's nothing wrong with that though, it's like part of you're loving nature. And plus you're a catcher." Tidus said.

"What?" I asked.

"You're a catcher? You've never heard that before?" Tidus asked.

"Are you saying what I think you're saying?" I asked.

"Maybe?" Tidus said.

"I may be gay but I am not the bottom half! I can't believe you just said that to me! I am not going to let someone stick it up my ass! No way! When I finally find the right person, I'm gonna wear the pants!" I yelled and stomped off into the kitchen.

I moved to the fridge and pulled out the ingredients for the baklava. I was so mad! Telling me I was the submissive one in a gay relationship is exactly like telling me I'm a girl! I'll show you and Squall! I'm a man!

"Cloud? Are you okay?" Naminé asked tentatively.

"I'm fine." I said and began my cooking.

"I wonder if that hat guy will come today. What's his name, Cloud?" she asked.

"Asshole! That's his name. I hate that guy." I said and pounded on the pecans and walnuts to crush them.

"He's not you're friend?" she asked.

"No! He's mean and says I'm girly. I'll show him!" I yelled and violently punched at the nuts.

"You're gonna hurt yourself. You should just cut them." Nami said as I took another swing at them.

"Nope, I'm going to use my own strength to break up these nuts." I said firmly and continued.

When the baklava was finally finished, my knuckles were all banged up.

"That smells so good!" Tidus said as I took it to the window.

"It better, I put my fist in it." I said.

"Isn't the expression-"

"No… I changed it. I didn't put my foot in it. I put my fist in it!" I snapped.

"Okay then…" Tidus said and smiled at our first customer.

"Welcome to The Bakery. What can I get for you?" He asked.

"Just a coffee… actually can I get a piece of whatever that is?" she said pointing to the baklava.

"Sure. It's called baklava, Cloud just finished making it so it should be nice and warm." Tidus said, eyeing the treat like a hungry animal.

"That's for the customers Tidus. If you really want a piece, you should pay for one." I said about to make my way to the back.

"Did you make this?" the woman asked.

"Yeah… I hope you enjoy it." I said with a smile.

"Thank you, I will. It looks amazing. You must be quite the catch, a guy that can cook does not stay single for long periods of time." She said.

"Thank you very much miss…"

"Tifa… Tifa Lockhart." She smiled.

"It's a pleasure to meet you miss Tifa Lockhart. My name is Cloud Strife. Please enjoy the baklava and I hope to see you here again soon." I said.

"I certainly will, thanks again." She said before leaving.

"And you said that _I _had charm." Tidus said.

"Well, if that didn't prove my manliness than I don't know what can." I said.

"Whatever dude… Even if you weren't manly, there are still hundreds of people out there that want to fuck you." Tidus said.

"SHUT UP!" I yelled and walked back into the kitchen.

When my shift was over at four, I helped Nami close up the shop. When that was done, I made my way down the street towards the park.

I wonder if someone is waiting for me…I can't really find where they hang out without a guide.

I was about halfway there when a voice caught my attention.

"Stop! Leave me alone!"

I turned to look for where the voice was sounding. The alley was my best bet.

I moved quietly towards the alley, in an attempt to be discreet.

"I don't have any money so leave me alone!" the voice yelled.

"Keep it down! We don't need any money. We just think you're a little too cute to be on the streets. We'll take good care of you." Another voice said.

"H-hey! Stop! Get off of me!"

Slap! "Shut up!"

I took a peek into the alley and saw two men trying to hurt a kid. I took a deep breath and quietly walked into the alley, taking hold of a metal bar that had been thrown away.

With a big swing I knocked out the first guy. The second guy turned around and pulled out a knife.

"You're disgusting for praying on little boys." I spat.

"You're kind of little yourself, we should play around sometime." The guy smirked.

I looked at the boy in the corner. I cocked my head a little to tell him to escape. He gave me a grateful look before running away.

"C-come back here!" The guy yelled and that's when I successfully swung at his head and knocked him out.

I looked at the men on the ground. I didn't hit them too hard, they would most likely regain consciousness in an hour or two. I put the bar down and turned to move out of the alley.

Only to be faced with four burly men. "Did you do this to our friends?" the biggest one asked.

I quickly grabbed the bar again and took a step back. "They were attacking a little boy! You can't expect me to just let them rape a child!" I yelled.

"You expect me to believe that? Where's the boy?" the man asked, advancing.

Shit.

"I knew he was lying! We should teach him a little lesson!" Another guy yelled.

They were closing in… I moved as far away from them as I could.

Unfortunately, in an alley, that's not very far.

Shit, I was going to die. And this was the worst possible way to go. I'm so fucked! They were probably going to rape me first, then kill me, then rape my dead corpse!

I lifted the bar. If I was gonna go down, I was going down with a fight!

The first guy lunged.

I screamed and moved to swing the bar at his head when a dark blur fell from the sky, successfully taking out the guy.

The dark blur disappeared and came back down onto the next man. This blur was picking these guys off one by one. I crouched in the corner, holding the bar tightly.

What the fuck was it!

The last man screamed and I opened my eyes to see a large midnight blue wolf standing over the man with a vicious snarl on his face.

I closed my eyes again when I heard the ripping of flesh.

I sat, trembling in the corner of the alley. Did that really just happen?

I watched as the wolf moved towards me, blood dripping from its jaws. I opened my mouth to scream.

_Cloud. _A voice sounded in my head. I jumped.

I looked into the dog's shining blue eyes.

"Squ-Squall?" I squeaked.

_I'll meet you in the forest. _I nodded and watched as the wolf jumped up and onto the roof of the building.

I slowly got to my feet, looking away from the bloody massacre as I walked from the alleyway.

I moved quickly down the street. My knees wobbly from the previous events. He really just killed all of those men… without a second thought.

I mean he was saving me but… I don't want others, even thugs, to die on my account.

When I made it to the forest, I ran inside. I didn't really know where I was going but I wanted to get as far in as I could.

When I was sure no one could see me, I let it out.

"Sh-shit! Fuck!" I cussed before covering my face and letting a couple of tears fall. "Fuck!" I cussed again before my knees buckled and I fell to the ground, body still trembling.

The sound of ripping flesh rang in my head. I let out a small wail.

When I heard the sound of my cry, I wiped violently at my eyes. I needed to stop this. I needed to get a hold of myself. I took two deep breaths and stood.

I cried out and jumped away when I felt a hand on my shoulder.

I turned to see Squall, hat and all, looking at me. "Follow." He said.

I trailed behind him, trying to quell my racing heartbeat. After about a half an hour, we were at the clearing again.

I yelped when a HUGE white wolf, suddenly took out Squall. I watched with fear as Squall transformed in mid air after being thrown by the huge wolf.

They fought for ten minutes, Squall being the loser.

I hid myself behind a tree, I was very tempted to just run back to the house. It wasn't fun being at the house, but I was terrified.

I didn't realize tears were falling down my face until I heard the soft patter of the drops on the dry leaves.

_Cloud. I apologize for scaring you. Squall needed to be punished for taking the lives of the humans. Killing humans is strictly prohibited in my pack. Please come out from behind the tree._

I wiped my eyes (it didn't help any) and moved from my hiding place.

Squall was literally dragging himself towards a boulder. I made my way towards him and move to help.

He almost bit my arm off. _DON'T TOUCH ME! _His screaming voice sounded in my head as his vicious growls rang on the outside.

I decided I would just leave him alone. For good. He was mean and terrifying anyway.

"Kitty!" I heard Zack yell and I turned to see him stop suddenly and frown. "Kitten, what's wrong."

Shit I was crying again.

"Nothing, nothing." I said and wiped my eyes.

Zack's frown got deeper. "You smell like blood. What happened?" his voice was suddenly very serious.

"Th-this little boy was being h-harassed and s-so I took out the guys that were hurting him… I didn't realize they had friends. They were probably g-g-gonna kill me. That's when Squall saved me. B-but he k-killed all of them… I don't even know the guys and I mean they were gonna kill me! But they didn't deserve to die… and that's not r-really why I'm upset… I just… it w-was scary! I was terrified. The sound of their screams and the blood and flesh…" You don't realize how traumatizing something is until you experience it in real life.

"Awe, Kitty. I know that must have been terrible. But Squall was only trying to protect you…" Zack said and he and I walked over to Xigbar and Riku.

"I know! That's why I don't know why I'm being a baby over this!" I yelled wiping violently at my face.

"Don't cry!" Zack yelped.

"Hey Cloud…" Xigbar spoke.

"W-what?" I asked.

"You wanna know what tear drops smell like?" he asked,

"Huh?" I asked.

"They kinda smell like rain, I know humans can smell rain. But there's a subtle difference, a difference that only stronger noses can smell. We can smell the salt in tears. Then there's also the person's skin mixed in a little too…" he explained.

"Wow Xig, you made him stop crying." Riku said with surprise.

"Yes! Way to go Xiggy! Who knew you were such a caring and sensitive person!" Zack said.

I laughed when Xigbar's fist hit the top of Zack's head for the hundredth time.

"We're glad you're okay." Riku said.

"Thanks." I said. I squeaked when I felt three tongues on my face.

"What the hell!" I yelled.

"Sorry. You're just so cute! We wanted to kiss you!" Zack said. "Too cheer you up even more of course!" he added.

I smiled. "Thank you. I think the liking thing is only okay if you're a dog." I said.

"Got it. Human licking- creepy." Zack made a mental note.

I looked to Squall. He was laying against the boulder. I watched as he slowly licked his wounds clean.

"Is it possible to sympathize with someone, and be afraid of him at the same time?"

"Certainly!" Zack yipped.

I looked to Zack. "I hadn't realized I said that aloud."

"What you're wondering is possible. I'm afraid of the butcher guy we take meat from… I mean he chases us with a cleaver! I get nightmares! But I do feel bad for taking his meat…" Zack explained.

"I think Cloud's situation is a little different Zack." Riku said.

"Where are Sora and Kairi?" I asked.

"Xemnas is teaching them how to hunt." Riku answered.

"Oh." I said.

"Cloud. You look exhausted; you can even smell how tired you are. Why don't you take a nap?" Xigbar suggested.

When he pointed it out, that's when I actually noticed how tired I was.

"Okay…" I said.

"Wait! Wait! Let's cuddle!" Zack yipped.

Xigbar stood up and took off his shirt. "Zack, you are such a little Pomeranian. Nothing but a little house dog!"

"Oh yeah? Why are you taking your shirt off then huh? You want to cuddle too!" Zack pointed.

Xigbar sputtered before they both stripped completely and turned into wolves.

"I guess I'll join this too." Riku said and moved to the bushes to change.

Thank you Riku for saving me some dignity. My face was a deep red from the naked bodies revealed to me.

When Riku was done, I found myself comfortably warm between a dark brown dog, a black dog, and a silver black tipped one.

It was so easy to fall asleep to the three heartbeats surrounding me.

A/N: CUDDLES! Just for clarification.

Xemnas- White wolf

Squall- Midnight blue wolf

Riku- Black wolf

Xigbar- Silver wolf with black tips

Zack- Dark brown wolf

Sora- Light brown wolf

Kairi- Mahogany red wolf


	5. Chapter 5

**The Pack**

**Disclaimer: *** looks around * Do I look like Square-Enix and Disney to you?

Chapter 5

I woke to the sound of whimpering.

I was surprised that I had actually heard them; they were very quiet, as if the person making them didn't want to be heard.

I looked over Xigbar and saw Squall squirming. It looked like he was in a lot of pain…

I slowly got up and walked towards him. I know I had told myself to just leave him alone, but he looked like he needed help.

He gave me a look. I stopped approaching.

_You can come closer now… I won't bite you._

"Are you okay?" I asked quietly and walked closer to him with lots of caution.

_I'm fine… _His ears twitched.

"Are you're ears bothering you?" I asked.

_I can't scratch my head without hurting my leg…_

"I could…umm… I could help…" I said trying not to make him angry.

The midnight blue wolf sighed and moved his head closer.

I very carefully brought my hands near his head.

_Your hands are shaking… you're afraid of me._

"Well you mercilessly killed four men in less than two minutes, forgive me if I'm a little apprehensive putting my hands anywhere near those sharp teeth." I said and paused in my movements.

Squall growled and pressed his face in my hands. _You said you would scratch it for me!_

I jumped a little and started to scratch his ears.

_I won't hurt you… ever… just so you know._

"I find that a little hard to believe…" I said.

_It's my responsibility to protect the pack and all that is precious to it. That includes you…_

"Your responsibility?" I asked.

_Yes, as second in command, it is my job to protect the leaders of the pack as well as everyone else in it. Because you are needed to ensure our safety, I must protect you as well. _

"I'm not sure I understand?" I said.

_The alpha, Xemnas, keeps order and makes the rules. The second in command, me, protects everyone. My top priority is to protect the leader and do any necessary tasks outside the forest._

"So you're like… head of security… like the secret service!" I said, continuing to scratch.

_What?_

"It's a human thing…" I said.

_Anyway… Riku watches the pups. He should be with them at all times, except for when they are with Xemnas._

"So Riku's the babysitter." I said.

_Zack is the tracker… he can smell exceptionally well… Xigbar is like his partner. Zack will track and Xigbar will hunt. Xigbar's the muscle…_

"So you guys have a whole system… that's really cool. Do I get to be in the system?" I asked.

The wolf grinned. _No._

"Awe, I want to be in it too!" I said.

_You can be the kitten… completely defenseless and small. I think Zack was perfectly right with that one. And you're a girl one too._

"You are mean. You came at the wrong time before! I totally took out two men on my own to save a little boy. I also had a woman hit on me today! I am a manly man!" I said firmly.

_You are not a man… survive a week with us and maybe I'll consider you one._

"But I have school… I can't just skip it…" I said.

_Well then I guess you'll always be a little girl to me. Why do you humans even go to school anyway. It makes no sense to me. _

"People have dreams… sometimes they can't be fulfilled without the proper training." I explained.

_What about you… do you have a dream?_

"Not really… but if I wanted anything, it would be to take over The Bakery one day… I've always wanted to ask if I could… I love that place and everyone who works there…" I said.

_Do you need to go to school for that?_

"Well, not really but-"

_Then why do you go? It's a waste of time… and it's only for a week._

"Five days… I don't want to, nor can I afford to skip work." I said.

_Deal… that means you're staying with us starting now._

"Well, I need clothes and food and other things!" I said.

_I told you you wouldn't be able to handle it… you're like a pampered kitten._

"Fine! It's so on! I can handle whatever you throw at me!" I yelled.

_Let me give you a brief explanation of what you just got yourself into. In order to become a man, you'll have to learn to run, to climb, to track, to hunt, to listen, to protect, and you're gonna have to let us in that little head of yours. We don't actually speak English here. You're going to speak like us. _

"Wait… so I have to let you read my mind?" I asked.

_Yeah… if you want to make any noise at all, it's going to have to be our noises. Grunts, growls, yips, whimpers, those kind of things._

I guess I should start now… I thought.

"But… what if I don't want you to know something! That's not fair!" I yelled.

_There are no secrets in a wolf pack, and there are no lies…_

I sighed… "You can read my mind then… but only for this week that I'm staying here!" I said.

_Alright._

'So are you reading my mind now?' I thought.

_Yes._

'That is so wrong…'

_You'll get used to it._

'What are we doing now then?' I wondered.

_Xemnas and the pups are coming back from training. I will have to tell them about this deal._

I nodded but paused for a second. 'What about what happened? Aren't you fighting?'

_No, I was being punished for breaking the order. He has that right as Alpha. You will have to understand this, if you plan to win this little bet we're having._

I nodded. I watched as Xemnas walked into the clearing, Sora and Kairi trailing behind him.

_Cloud! Cloud! Let's play! _The puppies yipped.

I decided to take off my shoes before beginning the wrestling match. When that was done, I grabbed Sora's muzzle and didn't let go. Sora squirmed in an attempt to get out of my hold.

Kairi nipped at my arm and I let go. I grabbed her hind leg and pulled her closer to me. Sora pounced and pushed me down. I pulled his ears a little.

Sora growled and nipped my hand.

I quickly grabbed the scruffs of their necks and picked them up.

They squirmed and yipped. _We give! You win this time!_

I smiled and put them down. I petted their heads and scratched their little backs. They were too cute.

_I like you. You're warm and you smell nice. Like sugar. _Sora snuggled into me.

_Yeah! You're like mama! You feel like her! _Kairi yipped.

_Our mommas had to run to paradise… That's what Riku said. That's why they're gone._

I was slightly miffed by the fact that yet another person compared me to a mother… but I couldn't help but be warmed at their words.

Then I realized what Sora had last said.

'Do you think your mommies made it to paradise yet?' I wondered.

_I don't really know about Kairi's momma, but I know my momma made it. My momma was super strong. Even stronger than Xigbar!_

_Mine made it to paradise too! I bet you she's basking in a giant full moon and howling as much as she wants! _

_Yeah! Mine too! Mine too!_

'Paradise sounds like a pretty cool place.' I thought.

_We think so too… Riku says that we'll all have a chance to run to paradise… but we have to live a long life here before we can leave._

_Sora?_

_Yeah Kairi?_

_I want to run with you when our time comes. So don't leave without me okay?_

_Sure. _

It was something that struck me deeply… the promises, the bonds, the responsibilities… they were all fulfilled, not because they were obligated to do so, but because everyone genuinely wanted to fulfill them. There was so much trust and loyalty. It was something that I wanted. I wanted to be able to trust someone's words and be unafraid of betrayal. It was like… the human race had forgotten all of these principles.

'You two are so lucky.' I thought.

_Why do you say that? _They wondered.

'Your pack is a great one.'

_Do you have a pack?_

'I had one… but the Alpha and second in command deserted me.'

_WHY? _They whined.

'I couldn't live up to their expectations.'

_What are those?_

I smiled. 'Well, they wanted me to choose a certain type of mate that I didn't like…'

_Noooo! _They yelped.

'Well, I'm a lone wolf now… but at least I can choose the mate I want to choose.'

_Aren't you part of our pack now? You should be! You can choose your own mate in our pack! But you have to become a big wolf first! That's what Xemnas told me. _Sora yipped.

'Is Kairi gonna be your mate Sora?'

_Yep! Kairi and I are going lead the pack when we grow up! _

'That's great!' I thought.

_What about you? When you become a big wolf, who are you gonna choose?_

_You should choose Squall! He's been a big wolf for a long time but he hasn't chosen anyone! Everyone else has a mate! _

'Really?' I asked.

_Xiggy has Zack, Xemnas has Riku, I'm gonna have Sora… it's just you and Squall. _Kairi yipped.

'What if I don't choose Squall?'

_Well, it's not like you have to have a mate… and you can find someone else… but Squall is a really great choice. He's strong, he's handsome, and he's kind! _Kairi woofed.

'Well, Squall isn't nice to me. He teases me a lot.' I grumbled.

_Why wouldn't he be nice to you? He's nice to everyone else… maybe we should bite him Kairi. _Sora huffed.

_Do you want us to bite him for you Cloud? _Kairi wondered.

'I don't know… I'm staying for a while, maybe he'll be nicer after that.'

_He better! _They yelped.

I yawned. 'I'm tired… what about you guys?' I wondered.

_Yeah… it's been a while since the sun went down… _They yawed and snuggled into me.

We fell asleep curled together in a small huddle.

-The Pack-

When I woke again, there was a larger body that wasn't there before.

I turned only to get a face full of midnight blue hair. I sat up. Sora and Kairi were still curled up on my left.

I looked around and smiled. Everyone was sleeping.

Then I noticed the pairs.

Dark brown and sliver black. White and Black. Zack and Xigbar. Xemnas and Riku.

I couldn't help bet giggle. They were doggie spooning!

I got up and moved to get some distance… I needed to pee.

When I felt that I had enough privacy, I opened my jeans and relieved myself. When I was done I sighed.

I turned to walk back when I noticed a rabbit. It wasn't that far from me and it was just sniffing around.

I took a step towards it, trying not to scare it off.

I took another step only to snap a twig.

The rabbit took off running.

CLAMP!

I think it was the crunching of the rabbit's bones that scared me the most.

"WAHHHHH!" I screamed at the sight of a rabbit mangled by a bear trap.

When I heard something behind me, I turned to see Squall running towards me.

_CLOUD! What's wrong! _

'The rabbit scared me… it's gone…' I pointed to it.

_Well, here's breakfast for the pups… _Squall moved towards it and started to fiddle with the trap.

'Th-that's dangerous!' I thought.

The trap unclenched.

Squall picked up the dead rabbit with his mouth. I cringed.

'You're really gonna feed it to them?' I thought.

He gave me a look. _Just follow… you should be careful if you're going to venture out on your own._

I nodded and we walked back to the clearing.

_So everything was okay?_ Xemnas asked.

_He was frightened by a trap. _Squall said and put the rabbit down.

Sora and Kairi walked up to Squall. _Is that for us? _They asked.

Squall nodded and the pups dug in.

I had to look away.

_What is kitten going to eat? _Zack asked.

'I'm really not all that hungry right now…' I trailed off… that sight was so gruesome.

_Well, then I think it's time you start your lessons… Squall, I put that responsibility in your hands. _Xemnas looked to Squall.

Squall nodded and turned to me. _I think we should start on noises._

'What do you mean?' I wondered.

_I told you, you're going to have to sound like us. It's so we can communicate._

'Okay…' I thought, unsure.

_Let's start on the easier ones and move from there… _Squall let out a growl.

I laughed. 'I seriously have to do this?'

He growled, serious.

I shook my head and made a growl noise before laughing again.

_You have to take this seriously. You don't just growl from your throat, you have to start in your gut. It's something that can say different kinds of things._

'Like what?' I asked.

_Like… stay away! Or… I'm agitated. _

'Okay… do the growls sound different if they mean different things?' I wondered.

He nodded. _This is stay away…_ he growled. _This is I'm agitiated… _he growled.

'The first one was deeper, and you snarled more.' I said.

_Your turn…_

'I'm sorry if I sound like an asshole but… are you fucking kidding me?'

He growled.

'I get it, you're agitated… but this is completely ridiculous.'

_DO IT! _Squall growled, different this time.

'Whoa! What was that one?' I asked.

_I'm going to bite you._

'Okay, okay… I'll take this seriously.' I thought.

I made a growl noise. I was going for stay away!

_That was sufficient… you were going for I'm agitated right?_

I frowned a shook my head. I growled again, this time deeper.

_Stay away._

'Yeah!' I smiled. 'I don't think my voice can go any deeper though…'

_Well, I would hope that you don't need to bite anyone. Let's do grunts now._

I nodded.

_This one says… understood._

He made a small grunt.

I copied.

He nodded before continuing. _This one says… no!_

It was a deeper grunt and Squall's eyes looked more focused.

I looked at him and grunted.

_That one was good. Yips generally represent agreement or happiness so they don't vary much._

He made a high-pitched noise. I tried to copy but the noise wouldn't even come out.

'I don't know… can you still make these noises as a human? Isn't a human voice box a little different?' I asked.

Leon stood and moved to the bushes, after about five minutes he came out as a human, hat and all. He sat in front of me and yipped.

It didn't sound any different.

I sighed and tried again… maybe it didn't have to sound exactly the same. Maybe it just needed to express the right thing.

I made a noise of excitement… it kind of sounded like a squeal.

Squall laughed. "That'll work." He said out loud.

I smiled. He really wasn't that bad… he was kind of a jerk but maybe I can overlook that… he had a nice laugh, not a very good attitude though…

"I'm going to pretend you didn't think that. " Squall said.

'I forgot I let you read my thoughts…' I thought with a small blush.

"I think you know how to yelp… but the hardest things are whining and whimpering. Depending on the inflection, they mean different things. " Squall said.

"Well, how many meanings are there?" I asked.

"A lot… the meanings can range from pain to pleasure."

I nodded.

Squall whined.

I copied… with a little difficulty.

I heard Zack laugh and I turned to see him laughing at me.

"What did I just whine?" I asked.

_Not telling… _Squall yipped.

"Zack! What's so funny?" I asked.

"You basically just yelled, 'I'm horny!' for everyone to hear!" Zack barked a laugh.

I growled at Squall. He yipped.

I kicked him and he whimpered. I yipped.

"Hey! You're getting the hang of it!" Zack said before leaving.

_I think maybe we should wait on the whines and whimpers._

I grunted.

Squall yipped.

I whined trying to say, _I'm bored._

"I think you understand now." Squall said and stood.

'What are we doing now?' I wondered.

"It's time to run." He said.

A/N: I can't tell you how much I enjoyed writing this chapter. I did a lot of research on wolves and how they communicate and from that I kind of derived a system for these characters. I hope you liked it! Review now!


	6. Chapter 6

**The Pack**

**Disclaimer: **Nope… nothing except the plot!

Kay! Now that more people are reviewing and liking this story... I expect more reviews! If you guys can do that for me I will be a very happy person and I will update more!

Chpater 6

"You can't expect me to run as fast as you! I read once that wolves can run for hours at speeds up to 40 miles an hour! It's impossible!" I yelled.

"I'm not asking you to run as fast as me… you just need to keep up." Squall said before taking off.

"H-hey! Wait!" I yelled and ran after him.

I was maybe two yards behind him, my breathing already becoming labored… when did I get this out of shape?

_You're slowing down girlie! At this rate you'll never make it!_

"SHUT UP!" I yelled and sped up again.

He started jumping over rocks and logs…

At this point I had to focus more on keeping up with him and less on my aching body. I leapt over a log and tried my hardest to keep the pace.

Squall did a sharp turn, almost sliding on the leaves before rocketing forward.

I tried the same thing only to slip and fall.

I heard Squall's mirthful yips in the distance.

I growled before getting up and running again. This time annoyance was fueling my speed.

Squall weaved in and out of trees. It made it very difficult to keep up.

_You can run, but can you climb?_ Squall's voice rang in my head.

We reached the outside of the park.

'We're going back into the city?' I wondered.

_Try to keep up with me._

I hustled after him. There were a few people out on the streets but that didn't seem to phase Squall.

We ran down the streets, looking like two delinquents running from cops. Suddenly, Squall slipped in an alleyway.

I almost ran past it but managed to get back on track at the last minute.

My jaw hit the floor as I watched Squall.

He stepped onto a crate, jumped onto the closed dumpster, turned, jumped onto the fire escape, climbed the steps, jumped, and pulled himself up to the roof of the building.

_Think you can do it? _Squall looked down at me raising an eyebrow.

I growled and stepped onto the crate. I then realized I wouldn't be able to do this without a running start.

I stepped off the crate and walked out of the alley. I could hear Squall snickering at me.

I ran full speed down the alley, I stepped on the crate, jumped onto the dumpster, turned, and jumped onto the fire escape.

Well, almost.

I managed to grab the railing before I could fall. It hurt like shit regardless.

I yelped and pulled myself up. I probably had a bruise from my chest smacking the edge of the escape. I got up and ran up the steps. When I was reaching the wall of the building I closed my eyes, bent my legs, and took a large leap of faith.

I managed to get half of my body up on that roof. Squall pulled the rest of me up.

I laid on my back and looked up at the sky, trying my damnedest to catch my breath.

Squall nudged me with his foot. _Now isn't the time to rest._

I whined and stood.

He took off running. He jumped to the next building.

'Are you trying to kill me!' I thought.

Squall grinned wolfishly.

I focused my sights on the other building. I took off in a sprint. I was going to make this jump.

I didn't close my eyes, I got as close to the edge of the building as I could before leaping.

There was a moment when I felt my stomach rise and flutter as I flew through the air.

I even landed on my feet. I looked back at the building I had just jumped from, eyes wide.

I yipped and jumped up and down. I really jumped that far! It was really like I could fly! And the feeling of absolutely nothing beneath me, it was fantastic!

_I'm surprised… I didn't think you would like this kind of thing._

'Are you kidding me! This was probably the biggest accomplishment of my life… well, besides making a cake that looked like a Volks Wagon beetle... it was so exciting and something I would never think of doing normally!' I thought.

_Well, let's run back and cool off._

'We have to run some more!' I yelped.

_Think you can handle it, kitten?_ Squall smirked.

I took off running. I leapt back to the other building, jumped down onto the fire escape, ran down the stairs, jumped onto the dumpster and back onto the crate. I then took off out of the alley and down the street. When I made it inside the park, I really didn't know where I was going but I figured if I kept running I'd get to the clearing eventually.

I kept running and running when suddenly there was a loud bang and I bumped into something.

I fell back and banged my head on something as well.

I when I stopped seeing stars I looked around.

I was… in a cage?

"Ummmmm… help?" I said quietly, not really sure what to do.

Maybe I should just wait for Squall, he'll come and get me… I hope.

"So I finally caught a big one, huh?" A gruff voice said behind me.

I turned to see a large man standing next to the cage.

"Excuse me! I'm pretty sure this is illegal! This is a park! People walk around here! You can't just set up traps that people can walk in! You could have given me a concussion!" I yelled angrily.

"Well, that's fine. Because once I reveal you to everyone, people will be paying me to catch your kind." He sneered.

"Sir, are you off your rocker! What are you talking about! If you need to go through this much trouble to catch a blonde, then maybe you should go for another type." I said acting oblivious.

"Wait, let me get a good look at you." The man said.

"Ew! You perv! Get me the fuck out of here! I'm going to talk to the police about this! This is illegal! You can't catch humans! You can catch bunnies and squirrels and shit but not people!" I screamed in anger.

"Shut up! You're not what I'm looking for. I thought those spikes on your head were dog ears."

"Are you out of your fucking mind man! Why the fuck would I have dog-ears on my head! I'm seriously about to flip a shit! Let me out!" I yelled.

The man took out a key and unlocked the cage. He lifted it and I stomped out.

"You are so not getting away with this. How many traps did you put down? I want them all out of here! I've seen parents take their kids out here to see the wildlife! You could kill someone! I saw one of those bear traps take out a rabbit! The police will find out about this!" I yelled, hopefully it will scare him into taking out all the traps.

"Quit your yapping! I got you out, I don't see what the problem is." The man said.

"The problem is I don't want to get caught in your traps when I come out here! And what about the other civilians! Just go! Go put away all your traps!" I shooed.

"You're gonna keep quiet about this." The man said in a threatening tone.

"Sure I am…" I said sarcastically.

"I'll say it again… you're going to keep quiet about this!" he pushed me against a tree and put a knife to my neck.

"O-okay man! What the hell, dude?" I said pushing myself as far away from the knife as I could.

The man put the knife down and walked away. When he was completely gone I slumped against the tree and sighed.

'That scared the shit out of me…' I thought to myself.

Suddenly Squall came running towards me with a very angry look on his face.

"Are you fucking stupid? What were you thinking! I told you to be careful! It's dangerous!" Squall roared.

I was leaning back against the tree, trying to distance his furious face from my terrified one. I had definitely never seen Squall lose his cool before.

"You could have gotten yourself killed! That man is not to be trifled with! The guy had a knife to your neck! He was this close Cloud! This close!" Squall snarled at me, his thumb and index finger pinching a very small space.

'I-I'm s-sorry! I was hoping I could scare him into taking out the traps. I… I thought if I threatened him he would back off…' I whimpered.

Squall gave me one last glare before huffing and turning away from me. "You stink… that guy's scent is all over you…"

"I'm sorry…" I said softly.

_Follow… at my side. Do not stray from me. _Squall demanded.

I got up slowly and walked next to him with my head down.

_I need you to be more responsible… you're supposed to help us out of traps, not the other way around._

I nodded looking at my feet.

We walked for maybe forty-five minutes before we stopped.

The fist thing I noticed was the sound of water. I looked up to see a decent sized lake.

'I had no idea there was a lake here…' I thought in amazement.

_No one ever goes this far in. I happen to know all the right short cuts… without them, it's maybe a four hour walk to get here. _

I nodded.

_Get in._

'What?' I asked.

He pushed me in.

_I told you, you smell… I don't want the others to have to deal with that stench._

'W-well, my clothes are all wet now! If I keep them on, I might get sick!' I yelped.

_I'll get Zack's clothes… they might be a little big, but they'll work._

'The water is cold!' I whined.

Squall was gone.

I sighed. I would really like to have a proper shower… with soap preferably… but I guess this is all I can get. I took off my shirt and other pieces of clothing and hung them on a tree branch to dry.

After that was done I quickly ran back into the lake. The water really was cold!

I sighed again and tried to relax in the frigid water. If my parents could see me now… I wonder what they would say… I mean, here I was, naked in a lake, living for five days with seven wolf people… six of which are male and at least a little attractive, learning to make noises like growls and grunts and hopping buildings. They'd probably think I was on crack or something…

I shivered a little and thought about what happened today… I guess I really was being irresponsible… I didn't even think about the traps and one of them could have easily hurt me… or worse.

'But I was only trying to help… he didn't have to yell at me… he was really mad... and scary as hell… then again, it really was all for my safety. I guess you could say it was Squall being kind in a very roundabout way.'

_Well, it's not like you have to have a mate… and you can find someone else… but Squall is a really great choice. He's strong, he's handsome, and he's kind!_

Maybe Squall would be a good mate… though he was kind of mean on the outside, he really was kind… kind of like a fresh baked cookie, tougher around the edges but soft in the middle. So if we did choose each other, I don't think I would be unhappy… I mean… my time with Squall had its rough patches but he always came through for me… and in the end of it all…

I was always smiling…

I thought it over and dunked my head under the water in an attempt to get used to the water temperature.

When I came up, I wiped the hair from my face. Still cold…

_But now you don't smell. _Squall's voice said.

I almost jumped out of my skin. I turned to see Squall in the water.

I blushed and swam away from him. 'Why are you in here?' I asked.

_I was dirty… why else would I bathe?_

I mentally smacked myself… I was being stupid. Just because there is a very attractive, naked, muscular man very close to your very naked body, doesn't mean anything…

Wait! I can't believe I just thought that! Ah! He's coming closer, swim away! I thought to myself as I swam a little further into the lake.

_You're going to have to remember that I can read your thoughts…and I'm not stupid, your face is redder than a maple leaf._

Shit! I submerged under water again and swam even further away from Squall… that was mortifying! I liked it better when my thoughts were mine alone…

_It's only for four more days… _Squall reminded in a teasing voice.

'That doesn't change the fact that you just listened in on my private thoughts…' I trailed off.

_Cloud, even if I couldn't read your thoughts… I can read the signs. You're face is red, your heart is beating faster, I can even smell the pheromones. _

Well that sucks…

_I wouldn't worry… we're not like you humans. We choose one person… only one. And I won't choose you._

'W-well why not!' I asked, offended.

_You're a human._

'What's wrong with that! You're kind of human too!" I said.

_No I am not… don't ever say that again… I'm nothing like you._

"Well f-fine! I-I wouldn't want to be your mate anyway!" I yelled getting out and putting on Zack's clothes. When I was done, I walked away from the lake. This time I was very cautious of traps.

Why did I feel so disappointed and hurt by all of this? Thanks Kairi for putting the idea in my head.

It's just my luck… only when I start entertaining those thoughts and liking them do I get turned down…

Well, I didn't need a mate anyway… but…

I really liked the idea of being together though thick and thin… and running to paradise…

Fuck! I am being such a girl! I don't need anyone! I like being a lone wolf…

_You look cute in my clothes kitten… _A voice said.

I turned to Zack and put on a smile. 'Thanks for letting me borrow them.'

_You smell upset… wanna tell me what's up?_

'The sky…' I answered.

_Where's Squall?_

'Bathing.' I said.

_Ooo, do I hear a little anger in that tone? Yes I do! Tell me what he did…_

'Nothing…' I said.

_You really shouldn't keep secrets. We're a pack now! You can tell me anything and I can tell you anything. How about you tell me what happened, and I'll tell you what me and Xiggy did a minute ago._

'That's okay… you don't have to do that. I was just being stupid…' I thought.

_Why do you say that?_

'Well, I was thinking about my conversation with the kids yesterday.' I said.

_What was that?_

'Well, we were talking about packs and mates… and Kairi said something about how I should choose Squall… and of course I thought about it… I really thought about it seriously… and I really liked the thought… I want to be able to depend on someone, and have them look to me for support. I like the idea of complete devotion… no betrayal… and I want to be able to run to paradise too when we pass on… I'm really being stupid about this. I was really foolish to like the idea of Squall and I…' I rambled.

_What did he say to you? _Zack asked starting to understand the situation.

'He said he wouldn't choose me because I'm human… it was like he was gagging in disgust at the idea… It hurt me a little…' I said.

_That was really mean of him… I don't really think he means it. Don't worry a hair on your pretty head! We're gonna fix this!_

'Huh?'

_Operation: Pull the stick out of Squall's ass has now begun!_

'O-okay…' I said and followed him back to the clearing.

A/N: How can you not love Zack… he's such a precious character.


	7. Chapter 7

**The Pack**

**Disclaimer: **Me=plot, Disney/Square-Enix=characters

Chapter 6

When I woke on the second day of living with the pack, it was because of hunger pangs…

I didn't eat at all yesterday…

_Here, eat. _A voice rang in my ear.

I looked to my left and saw Squall handing me a bottle of water and what looked like a sandwich. I took it from him and began to eat.

Yesterday, Zack said that he, Xigbar, and I would go hunting. I was a little nervous though… I mean, I would have to kill something right?

I felt much better after eating and when I had finished the water bottle, I stood and looked to the sleeping couple next to me.

I smiled. Zack and Xigbar was a strange pair… but I couldn't help but think they were meant to be.

I got up and stretched. I needed to get to the lake… as much as Zack's clothes were sufficient, I wanted to get back in the clothes that didn't hang off of me.

When I started to make my way through the trees, I heard someone behind me. I turned to see Squall.

'What are you doing?' I asked.

_You wanted to go to the lake, I was going to walk you._

'I'm not some helpless child, I don't need you to walk me anywhere. Please leave me alone.' I thought and gave him a perfect _stay away _growl.

Squall turned and walked back towards the clearing. I sighed in relief.

After the fight we had yesterday… the last thing I want to be is alone with him. He still pissed me off.

When I made it to the lake, my clothes were still hanging on the tree branch. I took off Zack's clothing and decided I would take a bath before going back.

I walked into the cold water and tried to relax my aching muscles from running so much.

I didn't realize how bruised up I was until now… it seemed that the bruises needed a whole day to actually form.

The bruise on my chest was pretty nasty. I decided I would refrain from touching it. I washed all the dirt and grime from my body and just soaked myself in the water… trying to get a hold of my thoughts.

Only three days left of this and then I can go back to the bakery and immerse myself in making food for others to enjoy.

It's kind of funny… you never really realize how popular you were until you're not popular at all.

Who knew I would actually miss all the attention I had at the bakery. I mean if I liked someone who came to the bakery, at least I would feel like I had a fighting chance…

But I need to stop thinking about that! What is the matter with me! I mean if this was three days ago, I would have never minded being alone. I was always alone…

Why do I mind now? Why do I want someone to be with me? More specifically, why do I want Squall to be with me? I mean I haven't even known him for a week and I'm already contemplating being with him for the rest of my life… this is so messed up.

Why can't I just be like I was? I just… wish I could be okay with supporting myself again. I hate this feeling…

The feeling of being rejected and alone…

I was happy my face was wet… I could just use the water as an excuse for my tears…

This was really fucked up. I was acting like such a pussy.

I smiled a little. Maybe I'm just living up to my title as kitten.

I sighed and dunked my head under the cold water. When I came back up I was better.

I got out of the water and kind of shook myself dry before putting on my clothes. When that was done I felt refreshed. I made my way back to the clearing.

Everyone was awake now. I walked over to Zack and put his clothes down.

_Wow Cloud! You really smell like the lake! It's great! _Zack yipped.

'Thanks…' I said.

_So… I think we should hunt soon. I can sense a storm coming._

I nodded. 'You want to go now?'

_Yeah wait a sec. Hey Squall! Cloud smells like the lake! Come see! He smells really good._

'Zack! What are you doing!' I yelped.

I jumped and suddenly became aware of the body standing over me. I shyly looked up to see Squall bring his face close to mine and sniff.

_He does smell like the lake. _Squall walked away.

_Let's go hunting now! C'mon Xig!_ Zack yipped excitedly.

_I'm comin' fool. _Xigbar grumbled.

I smiled. 'Is there anything I need to know before I do this?' I asked.

_Yes. We wolves have principles. One, every kill must have a purpose… aka what you kill, you gotta use somehow. Like eat the meat and dry the hide. Two, never kill more than necessary. As top predator, you have a duty to maintain the balance of the food chain. For example, if we don't regulate the number of herbivores, all the plants will get eaten and the land will become barren. Thirdly, you must attack with no hesitation or fear. If you go in for the kill, you can't back out. It's like a giant insult to our pride and the balance of nature. Finally, you must respect the dead… after a kill you must pray for their souls… _Zack recited.

'Pray… for their souls… what should I say?' I asked.

_That they return in a new form with a new purpose. I usually add that their death is for the health and prosperity of my family. _Xigbar said.

I nodded. 'Alright. Let's do it.'

We walked around. I noticed that Zack and Xigbar were looking at the ground.

'Are we looking for tracks?' I asked.

Zack grunted affirmatively. _Maybe a scent as well._

I nodded and started looking around on the ground. I moved a ways away form Zack and Xig, thinking we might be able to search more space if we split up.

And that's when I noticed something. 'Hey guys, I think I found something.' I said.

Zack and Xigbar trotted over and Zack yipped.

_Cloud you did it! You found deer tracks! And it's a big one! Look look, Xiggy! The tracks are fresh. I'd say she passed here around fifteen minutes ago! _Zack yipped some more.

'How do you know all of that?' I asked.

_Well, look at the tracks… the soil is still loose. That's how they're fresh. The print of the foot is deep… that means she's large. The rest I knew from the smell._

I nodded.

_Now's the time to be quiet. I'd say she went toward the lake for the moist shrubs. From the look of it, she's not in a hurry. I think we'll be able to find her quickly. _Xigbar said.

_Here Cloud. You'll need this. I think you should go in for the kill today. It's all part of the test. Think you can do it? _Zack said, dropping a sharp looking branch in front of me.

'Yes.' I said knowing that I had to be sure.

Zack, Xig, and I walked for about twenty minutes and then they stopped.

_Okay, we're gonna have to split up in order to surround it. Cloud I figure this is going to be hard for you. Stay low to the ground and be completely soundless. She's got good hearing, if she hears you, she'll run and it will take hours to track her down again. We're going to close in slowly. Cloud, for some reason, you're more connected to us than other humans. I think if you focus hard enough, we can be in sync and do this perfectly. Since you're the head of this operation Cloud, we'll attack on your signal. We have to force her in a corner. Luckily it's near the lake, we can corner her there, and Cloud when the time comes, go for the throat. No hesitations. No fear. _Xigbar explained.

I nodded. I was going to do this. If I was ever going to become a man, I needed to do this.

We all moved a little closer to the lake. The deer was finally in vision.

_This is where we split. Good luck. _Zack said.

I waited for them to run off. After maybe three minutes, I focused all my concentration on the prey.

That's when I noticed something strange. It felt like, it wasn't just my heart beating in my chest.

There were two others beating as well… I think this is what Xigbar was talking about.

I crouched low and started to move in. I was very aware of my surroundings. I would be perfectly silent. I soon realized that we wouldn't have tree cover soon. When we ran out of trees we would only have grass… making us visible. Meaning, that once we were out of the trees we would need to square off the prey and make it incapable of running. When I was behind the last tree, the hearts in my chest started to pick up speed in their thumping.

I knew what it meant. We needed to close in now.

I suddenly sprinted off towards the deer. I could see Zack and Xigbar coming in from the sides.

The deer didn't know what was coming, and when she finally noticed, we had her on all sides.

Zack on the left, Xig on the right, the lake from behind, and me in the front.

The hearts were pumping. I could feel them. Then suddenly, I jerked forward.

I was going in. I jumped for it. I got a hold of its neck and did what I needed to do.

The deer fell with a thud.

'Deer… you were a fellow being on this earth… a sister, maybe a mother… Those purposes you once fulfilled will not be forgotten today. I pray that your soul will go on to fulfill more purposes that nature hands to it. I thank you for allowing me to feed a family that loves and respects nature, as they should. They will not let your death go wasted. Until we meet again, rest in peace.' I prayed before removing the sharp branch from the deer's body.

_That was really beautiful Cloud. I'm proud to call you brother. Right Xigbar?_

_Yes… thank you Cloud._

I smiled. 'Thank you for guiding me. I am grateful.'

_We should get back and eat this before the rain starts… _Zack said.

I nodded and stood. Xigbar reverted to human form and lifted the deer. I was not flustered by Xigbar's naked form. I simply began my way back to the clearing with them.

_Everyone! Look at what Cloud helped us track down! Everyone is going to be full today! _Zack yipped as we got back to the clearing.

_A deer… and a large one at that. I'm impressed. Who took it down? _Xemnas asked.

_Cloud did! He was amazing! It was like he was one of us! There was not a moment of hesitation and his prayer was genuine. If I were that deer, I would have been proud to die like that. _Zack said.

_Cloud! You're the best! _Kairi and Sora jumped excitedly.

_It really was impressive. _Xigbar said.

_Does that make him part of the pack, officially I mean? _ Sora asked.

_If he would like to be. _Xemnas said.

'I would like it… though it's a little tough to be out here. Being included in your pack means a lot to me.' I thought, completely serious.

_Welcome. _Squall grunted.

I nodded and decided I needed to take a run into the city to get some food. 'Enjoy the deer, I'm going to get some food in the city and come back.' I said.

They nodded and I moved out.

I was starting to recognize my way around here. If you pass a tree with a hole in it, you were going towards my part of the city. If you wanted to go to the lake, you needed to find a fallen tree with moss all over it.

When I finally got to the city, I realized I needed to get my wallet from the house. Luckily my key was still in my pocket on my pants.

I opened the door and I was met by two very angry people.

"Where were you? You've been gone for two days, the school called and told us you weren't there." My mother said.

"I was no where. I'm going back to school next week… but I don't believe that's really any of your business." I said and walked to my room.

"While you're living in my house it is!" My father yelled angrily.

I sighed, grabbed sets of clothing and my wallet. I then shoved them into a bag. I took my toothbrush and toothpaste.

"If you must know. I'm camping, with my… family." I said. "Please excuse me."

They moved out the doorway with shocked looks on their faces.

"Family? What Family?" My father asked.

"My new brothers and sisters. I'll be back this weekend." I said and left.

I walked to the convenience store and bought a frozen dinner. I paid for it and asked the store clerk if they had a microwave I could use. Surprisingly, they did and I heated up the meal and ate somewhat quickly. When I was done I threw away my trash.

"I was wondering where you've been, you used to come here everyday." The clerk said.

"Well, I didn't have time…" I said. "I'll see you around."

I ended up running back to the clearing… it started as a fast walk, which turned into a jog, which turned into a sprint when the clouds started rumbling.

When I made it to the clearing, there was a reddish smear where the deer's body was.

'Did you guys eat everything?' I asked.

_We are capable of eating everything… even the hair. _Riku said.

'That's a little gross but okay.' I thought.

_Wahhhh, I'm so full I don't even want to move! _Zack said with a satisfied sigh.

'I'm glad you enjoyed it.' I said and looked up to the sky. 'Are we going to find a place out of the rain when it comes?' I wondered.

_Yeah, there's a den we made out of a bunch of boulders that we chill in. _Xigbar said.

'Well, should we get going?' I asked.

_Right now… I just want the food in my stomach to settle. We'll leave in a little while. If the thunder get's any louder… _Zack said and Riku nodded.

For some reason… I had a really bad feeling about this. I sat and waited with them… petting Kairi's and Sora's heads, feeling a little uneasy.

_Relax. The storm won't come until… maybe twenty minutes… that's plenty of time to get to the den. _Squall said.

I nodded and tried to calm myself. But that's when I felt a rain drop.

'Are you sure the storm isn't coming any minute now? I just felt rain.' I said.

_I believe Cloud is right. We're going. _Xemnas stood.

I silently thanked Xemnas and frowned when everyone was slow to get up, grumbling and stretching before they started to walk.

_Keep a good watch out for traps. Don't let the pups run off. _Xemnas warned.

I nodded and we moved through the trees. Riku and I on either side of the puppies.

It gradually got a lot darker, due to the large, thick, dark grey clouds.

_We're picking up the pace. We'll be in the den soon. _Xemnas said and I started to jog to keep up with them.

The rain started not long after. Sora and Kairi giggled and yipped. They jumped around trying to catch the many droplets that fell from the sky.

'Sora, Kairi… could you stop that? I know the rain is fun to play in… but let's get to the den okay?' I asked.

_Cloud is right. Don't slow us down. _Riku added.

Sora and Kairi huffed and grumbled as they trotted along with us.

The rain started to pour after a couple of minutes. My nerves were racing… I didn't know why… it was bothering me. Greatly.

It was when the den finally came into view that the lightning crackled down, followed by an enormously loud crash of thunder.

I heard the sound of Sora's frightened yelp first. I saw Riku grab Kairi by the scruff of her neck. Then a dark blur zooming in the corner of my eye caught my attention.

"SORA!" I yelled and ran after him. I dropped my duffel and ran as fast as I could. I knew something was going to happen, I just knew it!

Another crack of lightning illuminated the forest for a split second. I managed to see Sora running for what I feared most.

A bear trap. It's teeth glared from the gloss of rain. The wind must of blew the leaf cover off of it.

Sora wouldn't notice it… he was too afraid of the lightning. I somehow summoned the strength to peddle faster on the wet ground.

"SORA NO!" I screamed and jumped for him.

My body floated in the air for a second. I managed to pull Sora to my chest at the last minute.

When I hit the ground, I slid on the slicked forest floor, right into the jaws of the trap.

I screamed in pain as its jaws dug into my skin surrounding my shoulder. I squirmed in agony…

Wrong move. The teeth sank deeper. I growled in pain and looked at the puppy in my arms.

'Are… y-you okay?' I asked gritting my teeth.

_C-Cloud… your shoulder… I-I'm sorry! _Sora howled and whined in sorrow.

I slowly used my good arm to pet Sora's head. 'It's better my shoulder, than your little body…' I said with a smile.

"CLOUD!" A voice yelled and I looked to see Squall's wet face before blacking out.

-The Pack-

When I woke… I was really warm. I snuggled closer to the warmth only to flinch.

I opened my eyes and noticed the midnight blue fur in front of me. I scooted closer to see his sleeping face.

Squall… I thought to myself quietly. I looked to my shoulder. The trap had been removed and I gasped.

The deep cuts were already partly closed. "How…" I said to myself.

At the sound, Squall's ears perked and he lifted his head.

_Cloud. How are you feeling? _His voice rang.

'My shoulder hurts…' I thought simply. 'But… why… how are they half way healed already?' I wondered.

_Like this. _Squall said and I felt a soft tongue on my shoulder.

"Ah! What are you doing!" I yelped.

_If I lick your wounds, they will heal faster… that's why the healing process has already started halfway. _Squall said and moved closer.

'Well… I…' I started to think but stopped. 'Is Sora okay?' I asked.

_He's fine. He feels guilty though… he thinks it's his fault you got hurt. He's back at the clearing waiting for you to return. _Squall explained.

'I'll have to talk to him…' I thought.

Squall started licking at my shoulder again. I winced and shied away. 'I-I d-don't…' I trailed off.

_If you sit still for ten minutes your cuts will be healed. Please stop being stupid._ Squall growled.

"Look! I understand your feelings towards me! I get it and I know you're just trying to help… but please try to respect my feelings! I don't want you around me… It bothers me… a lot. You… can figure me out. You can see right through me… but I can't even… just please leave me alone. I can't handle your kindness… " I said.

Squall moved towards me again and licked my shoulder.

"STOP IT!" I yelled and pushed his head away… only reopening some of the cuts on my shoulder. 'Ow!' I flinched and growled. "LEAVE ME ALONE! STOP TRYING TO HELP ME! WHY ARE BEING SO NICE TO ME! AREN'T I A DISGUSTING HUMAN! I CAN'T… I can't take it when you're nice… it gives me hope for something that won't ever happen… please… just leave me alone!" I yelled tears falling… mostly from the pain in my shoulder.

I watched Squall get up and leave. When he was out of the den I sighed and wiped my face.

I shivered… it was a little cold now that the extra person was absent. "It's for the best." I told myself and ran a hand through my hair.

"Cloud…" I flinched when I heard Squall's voice again.

"I told you to leave…" I said softly.

"I know you did but I think you need to understand something." Squall said and moved in front of me. His hat wasn't there, it was strange.

"I'm second in command… it is my duty to protect the pack. But just because it's my duty doesn't mean I do it because I have to. I want to protect and provide for the family I love. As of today, you are part of that family." Squall said.

"What are you trying to say?" I asked.

"Since the moment you agreed to officially become part of the pack… you became one of us. And when you saved Sora today… it proved that you were very serious about every one of us. It proved that you love this pack enough to risk your life for one of us… it was something I needed before I could choose." Squall said.

"I still don't understand…" I said.

"The time at the lake… when I said I wouldn't choose you… it was because you were human… but… right now, to me… you're just as much of a wolf as I am… you made that clear when you passed all the tests… and I realize that you don't plan on deceiving or leaving us… so… I can choose you as my mate…only if you can still choose me. I want you to be mine… and I want to be yours…" Squall said staring at me with shining, stormy blue eyes.

"You're choosing me… now?" I asked.

"I needed a mate that could prove themselves faithful and strong. I couldn't see that you were before… but I can now." Squall said and put his hands on my face. "So I need you to choose me… if I need to prove myself, I will. I'll do anything… but I want to be your mate." Squall said.

"Will you promise to stay with me… I hate being alone now… so promise not to leave me…" I said.

"I will never, ever leave you… I will give you my loyalty and everything I have." He said.

"Okay… I choose you…" I said… smiling brightly.

Squall yipped and licked my face. I chuckled and with my good hand I grabbed his chin and connected our lips. I opened my mouth for him and let him explore my mouth. I let out a happy sigh through my nose.

When we parted Squall nuzzled my face. _Can I heal your shoulder now? _He asked.

I nodded and only fidgeted for a couple minutes before getting used to the feeling. It was only when the wound was completely healed that the licks at my skin started to feel pleasant.

Squall pulled away. "Are you ready to go back to the clearing?" he asked.

I nodded… feeling a little disappointed at the missed opportunity to further our little establishment. I walked out of the den and made my way towards the clearing.

I jumped when Squall came up behind me and licked up my neck. _Don't be upset kitten… patience. _Squalls voice rang and my ears as I watched him trot towards the clearing, mirthful yips mocking my eagerness.

I growled and chased after him.

'Later…' I thought to myself.

A/N: TEE HEE! Cloud you horny little monster! REVIEW IF YOU WANT MORE!


	8. Chapter 8

**The Pack**

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything 'cept the plot!

I'm loving all of you guys' reviews! Please keep up the good work!

Chapter 8

The first thing I heard when we got back from the clearing was a bunch a wolf whistles.

"So you two finally got it together huh?" Xigbar said picking the dirt from under his fingernails.

I blushed a little and smiled. Squall wrapped an arm around my waist. "He's mine."

"Good luck with him… Squall can be rather difficult." Xemnas said with a grin.

Squall growled and I laughed. "Where's Sora?" I asked.

"He's with Riku. Riku has been trying to cheer him up…" Zack said.

"I'll go talk to him. It's really not his fault." I said and walked over.

"Sora." I said and he turned around.

"Cloud! Are you all better?" he asked his ears flat on his head.

"Yes I am… Squall made it heal. See?" I said and kneeled down so he could see my shoulder.

There were small scars, you could barely notice them unless you were close.

"I'm s-so sorry. I-if I hadn't gotten scared, none of this would have happened… and now you have scars… I-it's a-all my fault!" Sora started to cry. Everything about him seemed to slump when he was upset. It was a very heartbreaking thing to see.

"No, no, no, no, Sora. It's not your fault. Even I barely saw the trap. Hey, look at me." I said.

He looked at me with big glossy puppy dog eyes, they were by far the most heart wrenching things I have ever seen. "You know… I'm glad it happened. 'Cause if it didn't, you would have gotten seriously hurt… and then I would have felt terrible. There's no reason for you to be sad honey, in fact I'm really happy. Guess what?"

"What?" he asked wiping his eyes.

"Squall and I are mates now. Our entire pack is all paired up." I said.

"Really?" he asked, his tail starting to wag.

"Yes!" I yipped.

"Oh boy! You did it! Squall wont be lonely anymore! Are you gonna go have puppies now?" Sora asked.

I was a little taken back by the question. "Sora… I'm a boy… I can't have puppies." I said.

"What? No!" Sora yelped.

"I'm sorry Sora…" I trailed off.

"I guess it's okay, even though I would have liked someone to be younger than me in this pack…"

"I'm sorry…" I trailed off again.

"Sora. Leave Cloud alone! Go play with Kairi… you know she's sad because you wouldn't play with her." Riku said.

"Oh… Okay! Kairi! We can play now!" Sora yelled as he ran toward the little girl.

"Congrats… I never thought I'd see the day." Riku said.

"Thank you… I feel like my heart is about to explode! I'm really happy." I said and beamed.

"You know there's only two things left for you two to do…" Riku said.

"What's that?" I asked.

"You have to let him take you of course! And let him mark you too!" Zack piped in with a smile.

I blushed. "Mark?" I asked.

"To let others know you're taken. See?" Zack said and lifted his shirt.

I gasped… I didn't notice it before but there was definitely a bite mark on his left side.

"You have one too Riku?" I asked.

Riku nodded and lifted his hair. I gaped. "You let him bite you right on your neck like that? Didn't that scare you?" I asked feeling slightly nervous about this. In Riku's mark you can see a perfect imprint of the whole row of teeth. And it must have been pretty deep to scar so well.

"A mark is also a symbol Cloud… it shows others how much you trust your mate. I like where mine is because it shows that I trust Xemnas. That I'm not afraid of putting my life in his care." Riku said.

"It makes me a little nervous…" I said.

"We were all nervous before it happened silly! That's completely normal." Zack said.

I nodded feeling reassured.

"Look… Squall… is the most loyal and honorable of all of us. You're in really good hands Cloud. He will take care of you." Riku said.

"I know he will… and I want to do my best in supporting him and being the best mate that I can be." I said.

"That's the spirit Cloud!" Zack yipped.

I smiled. "Is there anything I really need to know… advice?" I asked.

"Well… just be careful in the city… Squall, something tells me he's really possessive. He's going to want to monopolize you. I don't think he would do it to the extreme, but he is going to want you around a lot. If he smells some other guy's scent on you he might get a little mad… This is just my guess though." Riku said.

I smiled… that did kind of sound like something he would do. He may seem all cool and invincible at first…. But if you push the right buttons, he's really just a hot-head.

_It's nice to know what my mate thinks of me… _Squall's voice resonated in my head.

'I didn't mean it like that… I think you're cute.' I thought to him.

_I'm not cute! I'm… tough and rugged!_

I snorted. 'Okay then…' I thought.

"You two are a great match." Riku said.

"Thank you." I said and sighed happily.

I never thought something like this would ever happen to me… it was amazing. I used to really hate my life… I would walk around aimlessly just to pass the time. Life at The Bakery was always fun… but the minute I stepped out of the shop… life was just a dull and boring path to nowhere. And now… I have a family… a mate that wants to take care of me… I really couldn't be happier. Today was the starting of an exciting and love filled life that I was really waiting for…

_What do you say to getting out of here? You up for it? _Squall said.

I walked over to him and smiled. 'Let's go.'

Squall took my hand and started to pull me out of the clearing.

"YOU GUYS HAVE FUN OKAY! DON'T STAY UP TOO LATE! ACTUALLY STAY UP ALL NIGHT! GO MAKE SOME HOT LOVE!" Zack screamed as loud as he could.

There was also the sound of a yelp. I guessed it was from Xigbar's fist on Zack's head.

"They are too much…" I laughed.

"The sun has finally gone down… today really is my lucky day." Squall said.

"It's a full moon tonight. The moon is like a primary energy source for Loup Garou. We are strongest during full moons… weakest during new moons…" Squall explained.

"That's interesting." I said.

"When I was little, I used to think that paradise was on the moon… it made so much sense to me when I first thought of it… I thought, if our people are happiest and strongest during a full moon… wouldn't paradise be on the moon? That way, people would feel like there was a full moon all of the time." Squall said with a smile.

"Bet you were a little devil when you were a kid." I said with a smirk.

Squall laughed. "You're right, I was! My father always had me by the scruff of my neck."

"I was kind of a brat too. Not too much though… most of the time I was sleeping. My mom took me to the doctor, thinking I was a narcoleptic. But really I was just bored… all of the time." I said.

"Why were you bored?" Squall asked.

"I don't know… I never found interest in anything… except cooking. I loved baking with my mother. My dad loved brownies… we would make them all the time. We'd only cook them two thirds of the way through though… because then they were gooey and thick. It would always make me laugh because after dad ate one, he'd be dying for a glass of milk… Those were the good days…" I said, slightly nostalgic.

"You know, we can start making good days… starting now…" Squall said and I gasped at the sight of the lake.

Though I had already been here twice, the way the full moon made the lake glitter was beautiful. There was also a foggy sort of mist all around. It was quite a sight to see.

_Glad you like it. _Squall said and lifted me.

"Wait! Put me down! I'm serious! What are you doing!" I yelped.

"This!" Squall said before throwing me into the water.

"WAH!" I yelped, preparing myself for cold water but it never came.

The water was surprisingly warm.

When I came up for air I growled at Squall. Squall yipped.

_How do you like that water? It get's warmer at night for some strange reason._

'It's nice…' I thought simply and let myself float on the surface.

After a while, I felt hands under me. They were preventing me from sinking under.

"You're very beautiful…" Squall said, his hand pushing me upright.

"You make me sound like a girl! You don't have to woo me!" I yelled.

Squall laughed. "I know… I just like pissing you off." He yipped.

I splashed him in the face with water. "Bitch." I said.

"You did not just call me that." Squall said sounding slightly angry.

I decided I would test my luck. "Yes… yes I did. Bitch." I said before I felt Squall grab me and throw me over his shoulder.

"Wait! No! P-put me down!" I yelled.

"I'll put you down. After I find a high cliff to drop you from." Squall said getting out of the water. "I really can't believe you called me that. If it were anyone else, they would have a broken neck."

"I'm not taking it back. It's payback for calling me a girl." I said, still hanging off his shoulder.

Squall dropped me on the grass near a tree. I went to sit up but Squall pushed me back down. "I'm not finished with you yet!" Squall said and crawled over me.

"Don't eat me! Please don't eat me Mr. Big, bad wolf!" I mock yelled.

"Well, you look so tasty… I don't think I can help myself." Squall said and nipped my neck. I jumped at the sting.

"That hu-Ow! Stop that!" I yelled as he nipped at my neck again.

"What if I don't want to?" Squall said with a smirk and nipped at my ear, pulling a bit.

"Ow! Stop!" I said and pushed him off. Squall gave me a toothy grin before pouncing.

He pinned my arms above my head and smirked. "I am the Alpha male!" he said before nipping my neck.

"You punk!" I yelled and managed to pull an arm free. I pushed him off again and stood. "I'm the Alpha male!" I yelled and started to run.

Needless to say, it wasn't long until I was caught.

I fell into the grass and he pinned me again. I growled and flipped us over.

"I'm the Alpha male!" I said with a smile.

Squall sighed. "And what does the Alpha male want?"

"I want you to… kiss me." I said but suddenly felt myself flipped and on the bottom again.

"Like I'd let you win. Who's the Alpha male?" he asked and nipped my neck.

"Ow! Me!" bite. "Me!" bite… harder this time. "OWWW! YOU OKAY? YOUR TEETH ARE SHARP YOU KNOW!" I yelled.

"They sure do come in handy." Squall smirked.

"The last one really hurt!" I whined.

Squall leaned over me and licked the offended area. "Better?" he asked.

"No…" I said.

"Alright kitten, what do you want?" he asked.

I growled at the nickname but answered anyway. "Kiss me." I said.

Squall connected our lips. I wrapped my arms around his neck and deepened the kiss.

I started to get flustered when Squall began to take off my clothes. I blushed brightly when I was completely naked under him. He was just staring at me.

"D-don't do that!" I yelped and covered my face with my arm.

Squall took my arm from my face and nuzzled my neck. "My mate is the most beautiful." He whispered in my ear.

I shivered at the feeling of his warm breath on my ear. I whined.

Squall pulled from me and smiled.

"What?" I asked, suddenly nervous.

"That whine… you know what you were telling me?" Squall smiled.

"What?" I asked.

"You love me."

"W-well, I d-do…" I said nervously. Though I had only met Squall five days ago… I felt a connection… it's the voice that's been calling me all this time.

Squall licked my face and made a strange noise. I wouldn't have called it a growl and I wouldn't have called it a moan either. It was mostly like a purr. But it wasn't.

"What does that mean?" I asked.

"I love you too." He said and began to take his clothes off.

I stopped him. "Let me." I said.

He nodded and I pulled the shirt off of him. I let my hands slide down his torso until I reached his pants. I opened them and we slid them off together.

He and I were both bare. He gently nipped at my neck this time. I gasped at the feeling. As he kissed at my neck, one of his hands moved down between my legs.

I let out a small noise before biting my lip. Squall started to stroke me and I started to pant, my hands grabbing at his back.

"I want you let it all out. I want to hear you…" Squall said and thumbed the slit.

"Ahhh! S-Squall…" I moaned.

He kissed my lips again and I let myself venture inside his mouth. Squall picked up the pace… his pulls turned into more of a tug. I moaned again.

"Hah… I w-won't… I-I…" I huffed and panted, my thoughts becoming more and more incoherent.

"Don't hold back…" he said quietly and I came in his hand.

I felt bad about being the only one pleasured here. I moved my hand up Squall's thigh but he stopped me.

"B-but I-I…" I started.

"It's okay, just relax." Squall said and I felt a finger slip into my entrance.

"Waaaah! W-wait! N-not there!" I yelped… suddenly startled.

"Relax… does it hurt?" he asked.

I shook my head. It felt strange… I never would have thought it would have turned out like this.

When Squall turned his finger I jerked and shivered that the small wave of pleasure that passed through me.

"Th-there…" I stuttered.

I felt another finger enter me. It began to sting a little as he stretched me. I flinched at a particularly painful moment.

"Sorry…" Squall said and curled his fingers again. I gasped.

"Ahhhhaaah! Squall… m-more…" I asked.

One more finger, there was a prominent sting and I winced… trying my hardest to relax my body.

The finger touched the spot again and I couldn't take it anymore. "Squall… I-I'm ready… I w-want…" I trailed off.

"Relax… hold on to me." Squall said and I wrapped my arms around his neck.

When Squall felt that my body had relaxed. He slowly lifted my body and aligned himself with my entrance.

I gave the last okay and he carefully guided my body down. I hissed and whimpered, tears forming in my eyes. IT HURT!

Squall kissed my tears and when he was fully inside, he waited for me to tell him to move.

I took a deep breath to relax again. "Okay… go." I said.

Squall moved slowly in and out of me at first, but when I suddenly arched my back and moaned in pleasure he picked up speed.

He thrust into me touching the spot perfectly. "Ahhn! S-Squall… h-harder!" I managed to get out.

He complied and I was having a hard time forming thoughts.

"Cloud… my mark…. w-where do you want it?" he asked through his moans.

"I-I… Ahhh! Uhh! B-between m-my… shoulder a-and n-neck… Haaaa! I'm r-reaching m-my limit… AH!" I moaned at a hard thrust.

Squall started to move faster and harder… I could only focus on how good I was feeling.

"Cloud… I-I…" Squall started.

"M-me too."

At one extremely hard thrust I came. Squall moaned at my tightening muscles and emptied inside of me… I yelped and gasped when I felt Squall sink his teeth in the spot I had suggested. It was something I couldn't describe… but being filled and marked at the same time… it was what satisfied me the most.

I tried to catch my breath as Squall licked at the mark. I could feel it healing and closing.

When it was finally a scar, Squall fell back in the cool grass. He pulled me with him.

"You're mine…" he said with a smirk.

"I'm yours… but you're mine too." I said, starting to doze off.

"I am yours… always…" was the last thing I heard before I fell asleep.

A/N: Well... that was the first smut I ever wrote... sorry if you thought it sucked... if I get ten reviews today I can update again. These chapters are prewritten.


	9. Chapter 9

**The Pack**

**Disclaimer: **Me no own characters.

WOOO! Ten reviews in one day! Keep it up my slaves... WHOA! DID I SAY SLAVES? I MEANT FRIENDS!

Chapter 9

_Cloud, it's time to get up now… _I heard Squall's voice in my head as I woke.

I flinched a little when a cold, wet nose nuzzled it's way into my neck. 'Don't do that…' I thought.

_Wake up kitten. _He said and I smiled.

'Good morning…' I thought and opened my eyes.

_Good morning. You look exceptionally beautiful this morning. _Squall said.

'And why is that? I don't think I look any different… except for the fact that I'm naked…' I mumbled.

_Well, that's nice but… you're shining… you smell happy. _He said and licked my cheek.

I smiled. "I am happy." I said. "and hungry…"

_I wasn't sure what I could get from the city so I looked around the forest. _Squall pointed to a pile of berries with his snout.

"Wow… thanks. They look wonderful." I said and picked what looked like a blackberry.

Squall sat and watched me eat. _Is it good? _He asked.

I couldn't help but think Squall was being cute… it was kind of like a dog trying to please his master… I wouldn't tell him that though…

_You don't have to… I READ YOUR THOUGHTS! _Squall mumbled grumpily

When I finished the last berry I moved over to him slowly. 'Sorry… I forgot again. Don't be mad.' I smiled and started to pet the sides of his face.

The midnight blue wolf leaned into the touch and licked the mark on my shoulder. _I forgive you… just keep petting me._

I smiled and continued to run my fingers through his fur. "Thank you for breakfast." I said and kissed the wolf's head.

_Take a bath with me. _Squall said and started to move toward the lake. I stood and stretched only to have a sharp pain in my ass and lower back.

'Okay.' I thought as I moved slowly towards the lake.

I watched as Squall submerged under water. When he came up he was in human form. "The water isn't too cold." He said with a small smile.

I walked carefully into the water and shivered a little. 'This water is always going to be as cold as ice during the day…' I thought and swam over to Squall.

"I can't wait to show you off to the rest of the pack… they're going to be jealous." Squall smirked.

"Jealous of what?" I asked.

"You are really glowing Cloud. I'm proud that I could satisfy you." Squall said.

"What are you talking about!" I spluttered with a blush.

"My father told me that a freshly marked mate is supposed to shine brilliantly… I never really understood until now. You're literally exuding positive energy… it smells good and it makes me really happy that I could make you feel and look that way… it's almost…" Squall trailed.

I blushed. "What?"

"It's like you have this sensual charm that you didn't have before… I'll have to fend off the rest of the population… it makes you that desirable." Squall said.

"All because I've been deflowered?" I asked… I don't get it?

"It's confusing… but it's true. It'll make everyone jealous because I have you and nobody else can." Squall said and gave me a kiss on the cheek.

"Strange…" I said simply and turned to face Squall.

"You are so gorgeous…" he said.

I blushed again. "Stop! It's embarrassing." I said and hid my face.

"Don't hide, don't hide… shine…" he said and grabbed my chin.

I smiled. "That sounded really corny…"

"Nonsense… I talk smoothly." He said before kissing me.

I sighed into the kiss… I had never felt so happy in my life. I just felt so good…

Squall held me closer and I wrapped my arms around him, letting one hand play with an ear on his head.

Squall let out a pleasured grunt and we broke from the kiss.

"Sensitive ears… I'll keep that in mind." I said with a smirk.

Squall bit my lip before getting out of the water. "Let's go back to the clearing." He said.

I frowned before moving slowly back out of the water.

"What's wrong?" he asked seeming to smell my reluctance.

"W-well… it hurts to walk… sorry…" I trailed off, feeling a little embarrassed.

"Ohhh…" Squall said finally understanding what I had meant. "I'll carry you." He said seriously.

"But… that makes me feel so girly! Can't we just wait a little?" I asked.

"No. I think I want to carry you." Squall said and got back into the water so he could pull me out.

I swam away from him. "NO. Go back!" I said.

"C'mon kitten. I've already acknowledged your manliness! Why can't I carry you? It's not like your sore muscles are going to get better in fifteen minutes! I don't want you to be in any pain… it's partly my fault anyway."

"Yes… it is. But if you carry me… my pride will be in pain!" I said.

"Cloud. Please." He said looking straight at me…

with puppy dog eyes.

"That's not right! You can't give me that look! You have an advantage because you really are a dog!" I yelped.

Squall whimpered and swam closer.

I grumbled and stood still as he approached. When he caught up to me he wrapped his arms around me and made a purring type noise.

"I love you too but I seriously don't like this idea." I said.

He whimpered again.

I growled.

He whined.

I grunted, giving in.

He yipped and picked me up.

I growled again. "I refuse to be held like some princess! I'm either on your back or walking!" I snapped.

Squall sighed and put me on his back. He hooked his arms around my legs and I wrapped my arms around his neck from behind.

Wait a second…

"Squall! Clothes! I need to put my clothes on!" I yelped and scrambled off of him.

"Damn! I almost had it!" Squall said and picked up our clothing.

He handed me mine. "I like it better when you're naked…"

"Yeah… well, It's okay if I'm naked with you… it's just… I'm sorry… I only want you to see me naked. It's something humans do… they usually don't reveal their naked bodies to anyone except for their lovers… it's an ideal that's been drilled in my head since puberty…" I said feeling guilty.

"I can accept that. I guess I'll put on clothes too." Squall said.

"Thank you for understanding…" I said quietly.

"Hey… it's okay. Please… I don't want you to be sad." Squall said and licked my face.

"Wah!" I laughed and wiped at the spit.

"There we go. Laughter… that's way better than before." Squall said once we were clothed he pulled my back up on his back and we moved swiftly towards the clearing.

-The Pack-

"Whoa…" was what everyone said when we got back. Squall placed me down on a boulder.

"What?" I asked.

"Dude! Why is it that I think you're really sexy after you're taken!" Zack yelled.

Xigbar bonked him on the head… again.

"Hey! Don't hit me! You're thinking the same thing! He's like, shining!" Zack yelled in his defense.

"You were like that after you came back with Xigbar… it was a little different but the same idea." Xemnas said and Riku nodded sitting next to him with a head on his shoulder, watching the kids.

"Cloud! You're really pretty today!" Sora and Kairi commented, large smiles on their faces.

"Thank you guys… but besides being a hundred times happier… nothing has really changed." I said scratching the back of my head.

"Well let me see it!" Zack said and Riku stood as well, approaching me.

"See what?" I asked.

"THE MARK!" they yelled.

"Oh yeah…" I trailed off and pulled my shirt off my shoulder to reveal the mark.

"DAMN! You really sunk your teeth in there! Squall you can see every single tooth in this scar!" Zack said.

"I kind of looks like you tried to bite his arm off…" Riku said.

"I just wanted a mark that would really show… because I want everyone to know he's taken…" Squall said sitting on the ground playing with Sora and Kairi.

"It's okay… I like it…" I said and looked at the scar with a blush.

"You really shouldn't make faces like that…" Xigbar, Zack, and Riku said together.

"Huh? Why?" I asked confused.

"They're very enticing… it's a good thing Squall is good at protecting people… otherwise I think you'd be in trouble." Zack said.

"I really don't understand why everyone keeps saying that…" I said.

"Don't worry yourself over it Cloud. You're not going to get in any trouble here. But when you go back to the city in two days." Xemnas said.

"I'll just take your word for it…" I said and stood. I winced before slowly limping my way towards Squall.

"Cloud… you'll hurt yourself. What are you doing?" he asked, standing up to meet me half way.

"I wanted to sit next to you…" I trailed off, blushing.

"Here, lean on me…" he said and we moved back to his spot.

"Wow… not only did you try to bite his arm off… you impaled him too!" Zack yipped.

"Now see here, -" Squall started.

"I'm okay Zack… Squall was very gentle. But it was still my first time and well, Squall is… rather large… so it wasn't his fault. It's just how it goes. And besides, the pain makes me kind of happy… it tells me that this is really happening and it's not just some dream I had…" I said with a soft smile.

"You're a good mate…" Riku said.

"What?" I asked.

"We've been picking on Squall… and you've been defending him since you got back… it's a good sign." Riku explained.

"Oh well, I just didn't want you to get the wrong idea… Squall isn't mistreating me." I said.

"That's good." Xemnas said.

"Now that you guys are done talking as if I'm not sitting right here…" Squall started. "Isn't there something happening today? A meeting was it?"

"Yes… it'll take place here. But I wouldn't mind patrolling the perimeter of the forest. Just to check and see if there are any traps that we need to be aware of." Xemnas explained.

"Yes." Squall said.

"Meeting? What is this?" I asked.

"Another pack from Twilight Town is passing through and we're letting them stay with us." Zack said.

"Wait… so there are Loup Garou everywhere?" I asked.

"Yes… we've become very good at being undetected." Xemnas said.

"I really can't wait to meet them. This is really exciting!" I yipped.

_Well, then I'll go check the perimeter. I'll be back!_ Zack's voice rang and I turned to see the dark brown wolf trot off.

"Shouldn't someone go with him…" I asked.

"I don't think the person setting the traps would put them so close to the outside of the forest… he would risk hurting a human." Riku said.

"He's not afraid of that though…" I said. "I was caught in one of his traps and he didn't care. I said I would turn him to the police and he just threatened to kill me." I explained.

"That was probably because you were pretty far in the forest so there was no one to witness that happening. If you were near the outside, someone could have seen him and gotten him in trouble." Riku said.

"That's true." I said and turned to Sora and Kairi. "Are you excited about the other pack?" I asked.

"Yes! We are very excited! Maybe there will be puppies like us to play with!" Kairi and Sora yipped.

"Do you not like playing with me?" I asked making a sad face.

"No! No! You're just too big! It's never an even battle!" Sora said.

"I think it's totally fair… there are two of you and only one of me. And you two have sharper teeth and claws! I say it's pretty even." I pointed.

"Well, that's true. Next time we play, we're gonna beat you!" Kairi yipped.

"Okay, once I feel a little better we can play." I said.

_You're cute… and good with kids. You'd make a great mom. _Squall smirked.

I growled and punched him in the arm. 'Shut up with that!'

Squall yipped. _You make it so much fun to annoy you! Look, look, watch. _Squall bit my ear lobe and tugged a little.

'Stop!' I thought and pushed him. He moved back and bit my ear again.

I growled and tugged on his ear before smirking.

Squall let go of my ear and hid his now flushed face in my neck. I laughed. "I win. You're ears are your weakness." I said out loud.

Squall nuzzled my neck and sighed. "I love you." He said.

'I love you too.' I thought and rubbed Squall's ears gently.

Squall sighed again in contentment and grabbed the hand that was petting his ears. _If you keep doing that, I'll pounce on you. _He said seriously.

I yipped and leaned against him. I watched as Sora and Kairi wrestled with Riku. Riku of course had the upper hand but would always leave himself open for attack. It was funny to watch. Sometimes, even if there was an opening, Sora and Kairi were too slow and missed their chance. Sora would pout and Kairi would whine. It was really adorable.

_Kids are cute. _Squall mumbled, dozing off.

'Yeah…' I thought and watched as Riku grabbed Sora's tail and prevented him from running to help Kairi grab Riku's legs.

"XEMNAS!" Xigbar yelled suddenly.

I jumped, startled by the outburst. "What's wrong?" I asked. Squall stood in alarm.

"Something is wrong with Zack! I can feel it! We have to do something!" Xigbar yelled, looking very stressed.

"He's in a trap." Squall said.

"What!" I yelped.

"I can hear him trying to bite at the metal, listen closely." Squall said. "He's west of us."

"I have to get him out of there!" I yelped and stood. "Squall can you show me where it is?" I asked.

"I'm coming with you!" Xigbar said.

I nodded and we ran quickly through the trees hoping we would get there before that evil man did.

When I saw the trap I frowned.

_Xigbar! Cloud! Squall! I'm so sorry! I should have known that piece of meat was bait! I'm sorry! _Zack whimpered in panic.

_Calm down Zack, we're gonna get you out of there. Don't panic. _Xigbar assured.

'I think it's best if you guys stayed hidden.' I thought and moved quickly to the cage.

It was shaped like a pyramid. If the bait was moved off the bottom platform, the sides would rise up and trap anything inside.

"I'm gonna get you out of here Zack!" I said firmly.

Zack whined, feeling distressed.

I looked around the cage. It seemed that all the sides hooked up at the top. It we could tip it over, then I could unhook them and get him out. I thought.

_If I jump at the side of the cage while you push it, do you think it will tip? _Zack asked.

'We should try.' I thought. 'On three'

One.

Two.

Three.

I ran at the cage, pushing upwards with all my strength. Zack jumped at the wall, his weight the final key in tipping it over.

"YES!" I yelled and ran to the top of the cage to see if I could unhook it.

I frowned when the cage wouldn't budge. I needed something to break the hook keeping the cage together.

Suddenly out of nowhere a large rock hit the ground next to me.

_Use that. _Xigbar's voice rang in my head.

'Thanks.' I said and lifted the rock. I brought it down onto the hook with all my strength.

It only budged a little.

I wiped at the sweat on my forehead. Adrenaline was flowing through me. I was nervous and frightened and I felt rushed…

_Try it again. Please. _Xigbar's voice, pleading.

_You can do it, Cloud. Again. _Squall's voice this time.

I nodded and steeled myself. I lifted the rock and pounded it repeatedly on the hook until it actually broke off. I threw the rock aside and pulled the cage wall up and Zack jumped out.

_Thank you, Cloud. Thank you! _I heard as he ran towards a group of bushes farther away.

I watched the grey and black wolf jump out of the bushes and nuzzle Zack's brown fur.

I smiled at the scene and made my way towards them.

_Thank you, Cloud. I can't even tell you how grateful I am. _Xigbar said and licked Zack's snout.

_Are you okay? _Squall asked and I turned to look at him.

I nodded. 'I'm alright. My lower back and stuff don't hurt that much anymore. But I don't think I want to run too much after this.'

_I'm glad you're okay. Let's go back. The pack from Twilight will just have to be careful coming in the forest. _Squall said and we all walked back.

"I was getting worried. I'm happy you are all unharmed. We didn't run into any trouble did we?" Xemnas asked

"No. The guy putting up the traps wasn't there." Squall said.

"Good."

"Being stuck in those cages… it's not… it's scary. I d-don't want that to happen again…"Zack said.

Xigbar pulled Zack into a hug, his fingers running through his hair. "You're free and you're safe, Zack. It's okay now." Xigbar comforted.

I smiled at the pair. It was really heartwarming to see them together after such a scare. I was surprised by Xigbar's sudden tenderness in comparison to the brute strength he usually represented. I could tell how frightened he was at the fact that his mate was trapped, but that didn't lessen the power he symbolized. His determination and willingness to stay by Zack until he was out of the cage only made him stronger in my eyes. He was quite an admirable person.

'They're really great aren't they?' I thought and looked to Squall.

_Yes, they are. And so are you. Thank you very much. _Squall said and wrapped his arms around me.

'I'm the mate of the second in command. I want to do whatever it takes to help protect the pack and everything precious to it.' I thought with a smile.

"You are so perfect." Squall said. Looking at me with shining blue-grey eyes.

"I try…" I said and pressed our lips together.

A/N: Yay! If I get ten more reviews I can do another update! Let's try for three updates in one day! WE CAN DO IT!


	10. Chapter 10

**The Pack **

**Disclaimer: **PLOT = Yes … THE REST = No …

WOOT! THIRTEEN THIS TIME! HERE'S A WELL DESERVED CHAPPIE! LOVE YOU GUYS! This is one of my favorite chapters by the way!

Chapter 10

When the pack from Twilight Town had arrived, we were all standing in a line waiting for them.

They all wore fedoras over their ears.

The first one had amazingly bright, flaming red hair. The one standing next to him was a dirty blond with a strange hairdo. The third one's hair covered half of his face and the fourth…

Was a sliver haired girl.

I also noticed that the last two were the one's with tails. I smiled because they looked well matched.

"Well, hello everyone. I want to thank you guys for letting us chill here while we're passing through. But I have to say, when you said watch out for traps… you really need to watch out for traps. You guys are like, imprisoned in this forest." The red head said.

"Welcome." We all said together.

"It's a pleasure to meet you all. My name is Axel and until Zexion and Xion finally tie the knot, I'm the temporary Alpha. The goober next to me is Demyx." He said.

"This is awesome! Hi peoples!" Demyx waved happily.

"It's nice to meet you!" Zack and I yipped. I was happy that we'd have yet another lively person in the forest for a while.

"Of course… we all know your names. You guys are a pretty popular topic in Loup Garou gossip. A human accepted into the pack. That is quite the feet, seeing as we spent thousands of years trying to keep them out and away. Well, let's get a good look at him…"

I looked at Axel as he circled me. "Well, he doesn't smell… in fact he smells quite good actually. A nice, sweet scent."

He stood in front of me and grabbed my chin. I was slightly uncomfortable with this.

"And he certainly is a good looking piece of meat. Have you all had him? How does he taste? How does he feel? May I have a go? I mean, that's probably all he's good for right?" Axel said as he put his hand on my hip.

I let out a low growl.

He let go of me immediately and barked out a laugh. "Did you guys just hear that! This thing just growled at me! Like a dog! Oh god that's hilarious!" He said before grabbing my face roughly. "Learn your place human…" Axel growled out.

I slapped his hands from my face and snarled. "You learn _your _place, _brother_. Because mine is right here!" I snapped.

"Why you insolent little-" he ran at me and slapped my face. I watched Demyx suddenly run up and try to hold Axel back.

He ended up getting elbowed in the stomach. But I had already snapped.

I grabbed Axel and threw him to the ground, throwing two punches and yanking on the ear that had poked out of the hat.

I suddenly felt Zack pull me off of him. I squirmed in his hold.

In seconds, Axel had his clothes off and he was charging at me in wolf form.

The bastard bit my leg! I yelped and Zack let go of me.

_Oh no he didn't! Kick his ass Cloud! _I heard Zack's voice say.

If I wasn't so mad at the red wolf in front of me, I would have found that rather funny.

But now wasn't the time. I ignored the pain in my leg and pounced. We fell to the ground. I managed to grab his snout and hold his jaws closed with one hand as I punched him in the side. I grabbed the scruff of his neck before letting go of his mouth.

I pulled hard and the wolf yelped before sinking his teeth in my arm. I let out a yell and landed a kick to his left hind leg.

He didn't let go.

I rammed my fist on his head and pulled his ears.

He didn't let go.

Running out of options, I literally sunk my own teeth into the bridge of his snout.

He let go with a yelp. But I didn't let go.

_Alright! Alright! I get it. You're not as weak as I thought. Let go of me please! _The red head's voice rang in my ears.

I let go of his face and stood. Letting out a huff, I walked over to Squall.

_I'm proud of you. You won a duel against a temporary Alpha. You taught him his place. _Squall said.

'I figured it was some sort of challenge and that's why you didn't wail on him. I felt all of your anger from the moment he started circling me.' I thought.

_That red head is a piece of work. He was seriously eyeing you up. I wanted to kill him. _Squall growled.

I yipped. 'I deal with rude people all of the time. Though all of what he was saying was pissing me off, I don't really take it to heart. I just needed to show him that I'm here for a reason. And that I've earned my place.'

_Well, you did it. And I'm happy I chose such a strong mate. But right now I want to heal these wounds. I can smell the blood._

'Yeah… my arm hurts the worst.' I let out a small whimper.

Squall picked me up and I yelped in surprise. 'What are you doing?'

"I'm going to sit you on that boulder." He said aloud.

I grunted.

Once he sat me down, he took my arm and examined the damage. He let out a growl.

I shivered. Squall was pissed.

"When that son of a bitch bit you, he marked you as his!" Squall snarled angrily.

"What do you mean? I'm already yours. You marked me on the shoulder." I said, confused.

"He ignored that fact and bit you anyway. And he had the gall to try and mask my scent with his." Squall growled.

"Well, I don't want his mark. Is the bite going to scar?" I asked, worried.

"Not if he licks it closed. But if I do it'll mean that I'm handing you over to him. I want this pack out of here as soon as possible. They're all bad news to me." Squall said.

"What about my leg? Can you lick that one?" I asked.

"Yes, that bite is harmless. But we need to get the one on your arm off first." He picked me up and started walking towards the other pack.

"Are you okay Cloud?" Zack asked. Everyone in our pack looked concerned.

I smiled. "Yeah. I'll be fine once I get this mark off of me." I said.

"He tried to mark you!" Riku and Xemnas asked.

"Yes. And I'm going to get it taken off now." I said.

"I think it was a mistake to let them stay…" Zack and Xigbar said.

"We don't like them either!" Sora and Kairi yelped.

I smiled at them. "Sora, you're gonna a be a leader ten thousand times better then that red head okay?"

"Totally!" Sora yipped.

"Good." I said and Squall carried me to the four other wolves in the clearing.

"Axel, I want your mark off of my mate right now!" Squall yelled angrily.

"Damn, you caught me. What if I don't want to take it off?" he asked with a smirk.

"Then I'll make you take it off. But you wont want that." Squall growled lowly.

"I'll do it later." He said.

"No! You get this mark off of me right now!" I yelled, furious. Squall put me down. "Get it off!"

"What's your problem? Do you find me that repulsive? I figure since your human it's okay for me to get a taste of you too." Axel said.

I swung my leg back and kicked him as hard as I could. "I am not some whore you can just claim. I have one mate! One! And that mate is Squall. If you do not get this mark off of me right now, I will strangle you until you do!" I snarled.

"Jesus! I think you broke my rib! Give me your damn arm, I'll take it off!" Axel whined.

I held out my arm and he licked the wound closed. I sighed in relief when I noticed the teeth marks were gone.

I felt bad for Squall. I knew he didn't like the idea of someone else licking me. When the mark was off I yanked my arm away from Axel and turned to Squall.

He picked me up again and I nuzzled his neck. 'There, it's all taken care of now." I said.

Squall grunted and placed me back down on the boulder. "You are the greatest mate anyone could ever have." He said and gave me a small kiss.

I smiled. "Only for you…"

"I need you to take off your pants so I can heal this bite on your leg." Squall said and I took them off.

The bite actually looked really bad.

_That's because it was meant to harm you and not mark you. The bite is less clean and it looks like he even tried to pull some flesh off but that's hard to do through a pair of jeans. _Squall explained.

"I see."

Squall lifted my leg and began to lick the wound clean. I was still amazed by how the wounds would close so quickly. What would take days for my body to do naturally, now takes only five minutes.

When Squall was finished he added a couple of kisses on my leg. I smiled.

"You're sweet." I said and he stood.

"Really? You're kind of bitter. You're bloods got a nice supply of iron though. " Squall said with a smile.

I yipped. "Squall just made a joke. Is the world coming to an end?"

"Shut up." He said before kissing my lips.

I leaned into the kiss and wrapped my arms around him. I surrendered to the kiss and the light touch of his hands on my legs.

I couldn't help but giggle inwardly. I had told Tidus firmly that I would never be submissive in a relationship… but here I was, eagerly being dominated.

Squall let out a growl and let one of his hands sneak up my inner thigh. I let out a quiet moan and held him tighter.

_I love you. _His voice said.

'I love you too.' I thought and we pulled away.

After I put my pants back on, we walked back over to the rest of the pack and they smiled. "Everything all right now?" Xigbar asked.

"Yep. Nothing to worry about." I said with a smile.

"Then play with us!" Kairi and Sora looked at me.

"Okay, but I won't hold back just 'cause you're little." I said with a smile.

"Give us your best shot!" Sora said and rammed his head into my stomach.

He really knocked the wind out of me.

"Sora!" Riku yelped.

"It's okay. The game is on!" I said and I grabbed Kairi and ran away.

"Give her back!" Sora yelled, running after me.

"She's my prisoner now!" I laughed and Kairi giggled at being held so high up.

"I wanna play!" A voice yelled and we turned to see Demyx smiling eagerly.

"Your Alpha is mean! You can't play with us!" Sora yelled.

Demyx nodded with a dejected look.

"Sora! That wasn't very nice. You need to apologize to him right now. Demyx didn't do anything wrong." I said feeling terribly guilty.

Sora kicked around some dirt before mumbling an apology.

"Demyx do you want to play with us?" I asked.

Demyx looked slightly cautious, as if worried he would be rejected again.

"It's okay if Demyx plays with us, right Kairi?" I asked and sat her on my shoulders.

"He can play with us. He doesn't smell mean. And his hair is funny!" she giggled.

"Sora?" I asked.

"If Kairi thinks it's okay… then it's okay." Sora said and yelped when he was swooped up by Demyx and put on his shoulders.

"We need to rescue Kairi, right?" Demyx asked with a smile.

Sora smiled before saying. "Yeah! Let's go!"

And the chase began.

After about ten laps around the clearing, I was exhausted.

Demyx caught up to me and giggled. "Looks like someone's car ran out of gas."

"Yeah, seriously! On the count of three I'm going to throw her up, you know what to do." I said.

Demyx nodded. "You can trust me!"

One, two, three!

I threw her up and she squealed with laughter. Demyx caught her and Sora smiled at Kairi. "Was that fun?" he asked.

"Yeah! I was flying!" She yipped.

"I wanna do it!" Sora yelled.

Demyx put Kairi down before throwing Sora up and catching him again.

"Whoa! That was fun!" Sora said.

Demyx just smiled and laughed with them. It was great that Sora and Kairi had gotten a new playmate.

"They're not all bad…" I said to myself.

"I still don't trust the red head." Squall said.

"Well, I can't really say I trust him either… but he's got to be at least a little trustworthy if he's the temporary Alpha. Right?" I asked.

"I guess."

I turned to see Riku and Xion talking, smiles on their faces.

Xemnas and Zexion were simply watching everyone.

Axel was watching Demyx playing with the kids. Laughing quietly if something amused him.

'I think this could work.' I thought to Squall.

_I trust your judgment. _He said.

I smiled. 'Good.'

A/N: Alright! Review my friends!


	11. Chapter 11

**The Pack**

**Disclaimer: **We all know the drill…

I'm going to have to slow down updates because I'm running out of prewritten chapters... but please don't stop reviewing!

Chapter 11

I was the first one up on the morning of the fourth day.

Only because I was _starving_!

I got up and put changed my clothes. After that was done, I walked though the forest to get back into the city.

When I got there I walked to The Bakery to get some breakfast. I opened the door and I was greeted with a smiling face.

"Cloud! Long time no see man! You came here for breakfast? What do you want?" Roxas asked.

"A coffee… a bagel with cream cheese, an apple… ummmm… a cranberry muffin… oh! And a ham and cheese croissant." I said as my stomach grumbled.

"Damn! You ordered enough food to feed a fucking army! Fatty!" Seifer yelled from his place cleaning the tables.

I ignored him and paid for my food.

"Is _anyone _going to help me in the kitchen? I may be beautiful and smart and a fabulous cook, but I do not have two pairs of hands…" Rufus said walking out from the back.

I smiled.

"You know Cloud, you look happier than usual… brighter…" Roxas said as he brought my food over to the table.

"Well… I am really happy." I said and dug in.

"That sounds promising… to me it's pretty obvious. You're now a taken man and you got laid too!" Roxas giggled.

I choked on my bagel. "How did you figure it out so quick!" I yelped.

"Well, only people who really know you would know that you got laid. Other people would just think you were in love…you're shining like a diamond ring, dude!" Roxas explained.

"Why does everyone keep saying that? I really don't see any glowing whatsoever!" I said.

"So when am I gonna meet him? Is he hot? Is he THE one? Tell me!" Roxas babbled.

I blushed. "Ummm… he doesn't get out much. I'll ask if he wants to meet you when I get back… and… I think he's hot… but I mean, I-I well… I am sure he's the one. I'm not leaving unless he wishes me so…"

"THAT'S REALLY GREAT! Why didn't you bring him here!" Roxas asked.

"Well, I was the first to wake up because I was really hungry. Squall has all these acquired tastes that I don't have so the food in his house is stuff that I don't eat. But I'm going back after eating… I don't want him to worry about me being gone." I said.

"He sounds interesting. Tell me more…" Roxas said.

"Actually I want to hear this too." Seifer said and sat next to Roxas.

"Well… Squall has a lot of quirks. He's really possessive. His wardrobe is limited… he has a hat that he wears everyday that has dog-ears on it. At first I thought it was weird, but it's kinda cute on him. He's this big muscular dude but he wears a stupid hat with doggie ears! He can be a real jerk sometimes too! He really only talks to people he's really comfortable with. He and his group of friends are like a family. They sort of adopted me I guess… since my family sucks… It's kind of funny. When I first started hanging with them, it was like I was dating all of them. In order to be close to Squall, I had to be close to everyone else. When I was accepted into the group, they started to egg Squall and I on. He didn't want me at first but I grew on him. Squall has a bit of a responsibility complex. He likes fulfilling duties that he appoints himself for. He doesn't like to show it but he loves kids… I can just tell by the way he looks at Sora and Kairi. I think he would make a really good daddy. He's like a contradiction to me. He's this tough guy and kind of mean… no lie. He'll seriously kick your ass if you piss him off enough, but he's really gentle and kind on the other hand." I blabbered.

"He sounds like a freak." Said Seifer.

"No he doesn't! He sounds perfect for Cloud. I always knew you went for the idiosyncratic ones." Roxas said.

"Wow Roxas. When did you look up that word?" Seifer said.

"Yesterday." He replied.

I laughed and finished my meal. "Well, I'll go back and see if he wants to meet you guys." I said and got up.

"Yeah go do that!" Roxas said and shooed me off after a hug.

I decided I would run back to the clearing. I stayed very mindful of traps. I spotted animal tracks in the dirt and I paused.

I bent down and examined them. They looked like rabbit tracks. I touched the ground. They were pretty shallow but the dirt was still moist from the morning dew. I would say that this rabbit was really close.

I remained very quiet and followed the tacks to a bush. I crouched down and waited.

After two minutes, a rabbit hopped out of the bush.

My heart started to pound. I wanted to catch this rabbit, but I needed a plan. I looked around.

There was a bear trap on the left and a rabbit hole on the right. If I could get him to run towards either of those things I could probably catch it.

I waited for the rabbit to turn around before pouncing.

The rabbit's ears perked in alarm and it began to run.

To the right.

I smiled and as it ran instinctively to its den, I ran straight to the hole in the ground instead of actually chasing after the rodent.

I managed to catch it by its hind leg when it was halfway into the den. When I pulled it out I quickly, without any regrets, grabbed its head and snapped its neck.

'Rabbit, I'm sending you off. I pray that you return to the cycle of the earth to fulfill duties that help this forest prosper. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to feed my mate. It is something that I wish to do for the rest of my life and it makes me very happy to provide for him. So you're importance is not something that will slip past me. Please rest in piece until our next encounter in different circumstances.' I finished my prayer and then continued my way to the clearing.

Some of the members of the other pack were awake.

Axel was leaning against a tree, humming softly and picking dirt from under his nails. Xion was sitting quietly, petting Zexion's sleeping head.

'Good morning.' I thought.

_Did you catch that? _Axel asked, referring to the rabbit I was holding by the ears.

'Yeah…'

_So they taught you how to hunt, I assume? _He asked.

I nodded and walked over to Squall. I petted his head and his tail swished.

_That feels good. _He said.

'Are you hungry?' I asked.

His ears perked at that and he lifted his head.

He looked at me. _You caught me a rabbit?_

'Yep. Is that bad?' I asked feeling nervous suddenly.

_No, of course not! I'm really proud of you. Thank you very much. _Squall said and sniffed my face with a wet nose before licking me.

I giggled before wrapping my arms around his furry wolf form.

_Did you go to the city? And who is this person I smell on you? _Squall asked.

I smiled. 'I was hungry so I walked to the city to get some food. I saw my friend Roxas at the bakery and it had been a long time since we last saw each other so we hugged. He and Siefer want to meet you. Will you come with me so I can introduce them?' I asked.

_I don't know if that's a good idea. _He said.

'Please? I really want you to meet them. They're really happy that I found someone. Please?' I begged and whimpered for god measure.

Squall growled before standing and changing into human form.

I blushed. I was used to the nakedness, I just didn't expect him to change so suddenly.

"We're only meeting your friends?" he asked.

"Did you want to do something else after?" I asked, surprised.

He shook his head before taking the rabbit and moving to go eat it somewhere I couldn't see.

I smiled as he walked away and moved to see if the kids were awake.

I awed quietly when I saw them.

A large blonde colored wolf, which I was pretty sure was Demyx, was curled around the two pups who were snuggled warmly into his fur.

_They're cute right? _Axel's voice rang in my head.

'Yeah, all three of them…' I smiled.

_Demyx always loved kids. I feel bad for him. There just aren't enough females around anymore._

'What do you mean?' I asked.

_It's a shame, but most females die right after birthing a child or two. And for some reason… boys are more likely to be born. There are some things we have to face, all of us do, and that's death. Death in massive supply. We're a dying race, as much as I try to deny it._

'T-that's… that can't happen!' I yelped.

_It can and it will, unless we figure something out._

'I don't like this. I don't like it at all! Kairi…' I thought. I was very distressed now. Why did he tell me that!

_You have a right to know… _Axel said.

I crouched down and pet Kairi's and Sora's heads. I smiled at Demyx and petted his head too.

His ears twitched and I pulled back.

_Are you ready to go? _I turned to see Squall dressed and ready.

I nodded and we made our way out of the forest.

_Are you okay? You smell upset. _Squall asked and wrapped his arm around my waist.

'I'm fine. I just had a strange conversation with Axel.' I said.

"What did that dog say?" Squall said aloud.

I smiled. "He only told me that there aren't enough female Loup Garou and that if something doesn't happen soon. Your race will die off. It upset me." I said.

Squall growled. "It's true. But if it's what nature intends, we must follow the cycle. Just enjoy the time we have." He said.

I nodded and leaned closer to him as we walked out of the forest and towards the bakery.

When we entered, there were two customers sitting down eating their food. I turned to the cash register to look for Roxas.

"Holy shit! Is this him? I was not expecting this! Dude, he's fuckin' ripped! Cloud… I am so proud of you!" Roxas suddenly appeared.

"Uhhh, thanks. Squall, this is my friend Roxas. Roxas, this is Squall." I said and smiled.

Squall held out a hand. "Pleasure."

Roxas shook his hand. "It's nice to meet you too."

"So this is the guy… not bad. I'm Seifer." Seifer introduced himself as he exited the kitchen.

"Hello." Squall said.

"I don't think Rufus is going to leave the kitchen. He's making quiche and you know how he is about unfinished products." Roxas said.

I nodded with a smile.

"The blueberry pie is burning…" Squall said simply.

"Huh?" I asked.

"SHIT MY PIE!" Siefer yelled and ran back into the kitchen.

"Whoa, how did you know that?" Roxas said.

"Lucky guess…" Squall said.

After about a minute, Seifer walks out of the kitchen with a look of relief on his face. "Saved it at the last minute. That's amazing, did you like smell it all the way from here?" Seifer said.

Squall shrugged then suddenly looked unsettled. He turned around.

"Well hello beautiful! I think this is fate telling you that you belong with me!" Reno said and walked over to me.

Reno… you have the worst timing on the planet. 'Squall… it's okay. I'll take care of this.' I thought to him.

He sent me a look.

"Reno… I want you to meet my boyfriend Squall." I said with a smile.

"You're joking right? That's just too cruel!" Reno said and took my hand.

I pulled away and smiled politely. "I would appreciate it if you would refrain form hitting on me." I said.

"C'mon babe! You know I can't do that! You're probably lying anyway, you wouldn't date a freak like that." He said and grabbed my waist.

Now I was straight up mad. I pushed him off me and he fell to the ground. "Don't touch me." I said angrily.

"Damn, you are so hot when you're angry." He said and stood. He walked towards me again.

I was tempted to kick his ass and be on my way but Squall stood in front of me.

I could feel the anger and menace radiating from his skin. "Get. Lost." He growled.

Reno's face drained of color and he scrambled out of the bakery.

I sighed and relaxed. "Thanks." I said.

"Dude. That. Was. So. COOL! SEIFER DID YOU SEE THAT! I MEAN THAT LOOK WAS TERRIFYING! I THOUGHT HE WAS GONNA RIP HIM TO SHREDS!" Roxas said excitedly.

"I have to admit, that was really badass." Seifer said.

"I'm just glad Reno will leave me alone now." I said and buried my face in Squall's shirt.

"You two are cute." Roxas said.

"Cloud." Squall started.

"Hm?"

"Rain." I looked out the window to see the clouds gray with moisture ready to be released.

"Should we go back?" I asked.

"It's not going to storm… just gentle rain."

"So do you want to stay here?" I asked.

_Come with me._

"Well, I gotta go know. I'll see you guys later. Come by this weekend, we'll talk." I said before leaving with Squall.

'I'm really happy my friends approve of you. I hope Naminé and Tidus will like you to.' I thought.

Squall grunted.

'Where are we going?' I thought.

_I… well… even though you're part of the pack…you're still human… and I thought that because you're human, I should court you like one._

"You're… you're taking me on a date?" I asked.

Squall grunted again.

I smiled. 'Squall slow down.'

He slowed his walking and loosened his hold on my wrist. I took his arm and moved closer to him.

We started to walk together leisurely.

"See? Isn't this better?" I asked.

Squall looked at me and nodded.

"Let's go to the mall. I don't really want anything but it's always fun to look around." I said.

When we got to the mall I smiled and walked faster. "You know… I always wanted to dress you in leather."

Squall gave me a strange look. I laughed.

"I only want to see! I won't make you wear it for long!"

Squall growled a little under his breath.

"Do you want to dress me up Squall?" I asked.

Squall shook his head. _I want to undress you. I like you best in your natural state._

I blushed and pulled Squall through the doors. I knew exactly what store to go to.

I pulled him inside and Squall winced.

'You okay?' I asked.

_Leather is quite a pungent smell. _

"We're not gonna be in here for long. I know exactly what I want to dress you in." I said and moved to the pants rack and pulled out a pair of pants. I walked over and took out some belts and then looked around for the final touch.

I found it up on the wall. I walked to an employee and asked for the jacket that was really high up on the wall.

He took a rod and hooked the hanged and pulled it down. "Here you go." He said.

"Thanks! Oh! I'm so excited Squall! You are going to look so hot!" I babbled happily.

"You're dressing him in leather?" the employee pointed to Squall, who was looking off into space.

I nodded and grinned. "He's perfect for it right?" I said.

"Can I see the finished product?" the employee asked.

"Yeah. It would be a shame if only I saw it." I said. 'Squall, let's go to the dressing room.' I looked at Squall.

Squall looked back at me and started to move to the side of the store.

We made it to the dressing room and I pulled Squall into a stall.

'Thanks for letting me do this…' I thought and kissed him.

I pulled away after a second and started to undo Squall's pants.

_I'm capable of putting on pants myself._

'I said I wanted to dress you in leather, not just see you in it.' I thought slyly.

Squall grunted and stepped out of his jeans when I pulled them down.

I grabbed the leather pants and opened them. Squall stepped in obediently.

I slowly pulled them up making sure to take my time caressing the muscles on Squall's legs.

I buttoned the pants and zipped them up. I grabbed the belts and kneeled to put them on him.

Slowly, I pulled the first belt through all the loops. I took the second and third and simply buckled them around his waist.

I smirked before planting a kiss on his hip bone. After that I nipped at the skin and he grunted.

_Cloud… behave._

I pouted and stood. I grabbed the jacket and put it on him. When that was done I opened the stall door and motioned for him to step out.

Squall walked out of the dressing stall and I moved away from him so I could get a good look.

"Squall, I'm starting to believe that you just look sexy in anything you wear." I said and licked my lips.

"That's definitely a keeper. Are you buying?" the employee asked.

I looked at the employee and shook my head. "We just wanted to see… Actually… I really want to buy that jacket but it's probably too expensive." I said.

"Well, you're right… it's about two hundred dollars but if you are willing to pay half… I'll give you my employee discount. It's worth it, I promise." The employee said.

I thought… if I spent one hundred dollars here, I won't be able to buy food for two weeks…but… If I told Roxas about the situation, he would feed me… he would understand.

"Okay I'll b-"

"Cloud." Squall interrupted.

I turned to him.

_Absolutely not. I will not have you starve because you bought me a jacket that I don't even need. That's dangerous, how do you know Roxas will understand? And I know that eating forest fruits for two weeks can make you sick. I won't allow it. _

'But it looks so good on you…' I thought.

_It doesn't matter. I don't care about that. I just want you to stay well. _

'Squall…' I whined.

He grunted. The case was closed.

"That's like… really cool." The employee said.

I turned to him and gave him a puzzled look. "What?"

"You were talking to each other without actually talking. It was like telepathy. You guys must be really close." He said.

I smiled. "Yeah. I'm really sorry about this, but were not going to buy anything." I said with a reluctant tone.

"That's too bad. Maybe one day you can come back?" the employee asked.

"Yeah…" I said and Squall moved back to the dressing room to change.

I sat on the small bench in the dressing room and waited for Squall to come back out.

Squall walked over to me and offered his hand. I took it and smiled. "I have one more trip." I said and we walked out of the store.

_Where are we going?_

'You'll see…' I thought and walked towards our destination.

"You're taking me to the pet shop?' Squall asked.

"How did you know?" I asked.

"I can smell the dogs." Squall said.

"I'm just doing this out of mild curiosity. I wonder how the animals will react to you." I said.

When we turned the corner, the pet shop came into view and we walked inside.

The animals quieted. It was like all on the animals were on television and someone clicked the mute button.

The customers looked puzzled as the animals remained still. I looked around. The rabbits, gerbils, and hamsters trembled as Squall and I passed them to get to the dogs.

The cats hissed and moved into a corners of their cages.

'Seems like you're the wolf in charge.' I though.

Squall smirked but paused suddenly.

"What?" I said aloud.

_Something's not right. _He walked over to the dog cages.

I watched as Squall leaned forward in front of the dogs in the cage. Most of them whimpered and moved away.

Except for a small dog that simply moved forward to the front of the cage. I moved closer to get a better look.

The dog looked less pampered than the others. It was completely white but when it looked at me I was captivated by his eyes.

One was a bright gold, the other baby blue.

_That's not a dog. That's Loup Garou and I want to know why the hell he's in a cage. _

I walked over to one of the workers and asked about the dog.

"Oh… we think he's a wolfhound. The supplier said that he couldn't identify exactly what breed of dog he was. But don't let that discourage you. He's really a sweet boy. Everyone seems to want the other dogs. He's been here for two months and we might have to send him back if someone doesn't buy him soon." The girl said.

"How much is he?" I asked.

"Well… we really wanted him to get him into a good home so we put a 75% discount on him. He was originally four hundred but if you can take good care of him we'll give him to you for one." She said.

"I'll take him." I said.

"Really?" she asked incredulously.

"Yes, I don't want him to be in a cage anymore…" I said.

"Thank you so much. Would you like to take him out and get to know him a little?" she asked.

"I'm sure my boyfriend would. He was the one who seemed really attached to the dog." I said.

"Alright then." She said and moved to open the dog cage. She opened it and pulled out the small white dog.

She handed the dog to me and Squall and I walked over to one of the small rooms meant for meeting the dogs.

We walked inside and closed the door.

"Is this dog really a Loup Garou?" I asked.

"Put him down." Squall said.

I placed the dog on the floor and he walked over to Squall and snuggled into his leg.

I looked at Squall, I could tell he was angry. I scooted a little closer to him.

_He's like a common house dog… it's disgusting. How… could they just… _Squall growled.

"Maybe… he got lost from his pack and someone found him?" I supplied.

_They should have gotten him back! I don't care how but they should have done it! To abandon your own kind… it's sickening! _

"Does he have a name?" I asked.

"He should but I don't think he does." Squall said.

The little white dog turned to me and sniffed my hand. After a couple of seconds, he enthusiastically jumped into my lap and yipped.

I giggle. "He's a zealous little guy, huh?" I said and he started to lick my face.

Squall growled at the dog and he stopped. He slowly moved back over to Squall and laid on his back.

I smiled and petted his tummy. "Zell." I said.

"Hm?"

"It sounds like the first half of the word zealous. Zell." I said.

Zell yipped happily.

"That works." Squall said.

"Let's get him out of here and bring him back to the park." I said.

Squall nodded and gave Zell a look. Zell stood and followed closely behind Squall.

I smiled and walked over to the cashier.

"Do you guys want to buy any accessories?" the girl asked.

I shook my head.

"Alright, your total is 110 dollars." She said.

I pulled five twenties and a ten from my wallet. I only had five dollars left to my name.

"Alright, here's a dog carrier." She handed it to me.

"Oh, we don't need that." I said.

"It's required that all dogs remain in a carrier until outside the mall." She said.

Squall growled and pulled Zell up by the scruff and placed him in the box carrier.

I frowned. I knew that Squall hated doing this.

We walked out of the store and turned the corner. Squall pulled the dog out of the box and threw it away. He gave Zell another look that said, _Follow me or else._

Zell simply followed us as we walked to the exit.

As we left the mall someone stopped us.

"Your dog is well trained. How did you get it to follow you like that?" a man asked.

Squall glared angrily at the man and continued to walk towards the park.

"He follows him by his own free will. We don't train him." I said before running up to Squall again.

Squall seemed to be explaining the situation to Xemnas as we walked. I looked over to the small Loup garou on my left.

'Don't ever suppress who you are, Zell." I thought to him. I doubted he could understand but it was worth a try.

Zell stopped and looked at me.

Maybe it did work. 'You don't have to be afraid anymore. You're safe with us." I thought.

Zell's head cocked to the side in question.

I kneeled and looked him in the eye. 'Follow us and you'll see.' I thought.

I got up and started to walk.

After a second of simply standing, Zell yipped and ran after us.

-The Pack-

When we got to the clearing, Xemnas and the rest of the pack were waiting for us.

_You found him in a pet store in the mall?_ Xemnas asked as we entered the clearing.

Squall nodded and turned to Zell. Zell simply stood at the edge of the clearing.

He was afraid.

I walked over and gave Zell a nudge. 'Go, no one's going to hurt you." I said.

He pattered in slowly, ears down and a tail between his legs.

The large white wolf moved closer to the pup. With a low growl he inspected the little white puppy. After a few seconds, Xemnas looked up at us.

_He isn't just ordinary Loup Garou, he's going to keep his tail when he gains his human form_

'When will that happen?' I asked.

_Not until he reaches a year old. _Squall answered for me.

'So our pack is going to take him in right? The poor thing was all alone in that cage for two months. It's not right.' I thought.

_We are going to adopt him into the pack, and you two are specifically going to take care of him. _Xemnas said.

I looked at Squall who looked at me and we nodded together. But then I paused. 'Tomorrow is my last day here. I have to return to work and I have school on Monday… I'll come after school and on my free time but I feel like a really shitty caretaker.' I thought.

_It's alright, he wont forget about you or anything. Just come and bond with him when you can. _Squall said.

I nodded.


	12. Chapter 12

**The Pack**

**Disclaimer: **My plot and that is all!

Chapter 12

"Wow! Were Kairi and I ever this small?" Sora asked while petting Zell's head.

"I'm sure you were, I mean, we all grow from some size to a bigger one." I said and sat on the ground of the clearing.

"Kairi, now we have a little brother and we gotta show him the ropes!" Sora said, his tail wagging in excitement.

"Sora… I'm not even sure we know the ropes yet… I mean we just leaned the basics of hunting like yesterday." Kairi said with a smile.

"That's true… but we can still show him how to play our games!" Sora said brightly.

Kairi nodded and they pounced on Zell.

I jumped. "S-sora! Zell is only half your size! P-please be caref-"

_It's alright Cloud, we're a little more durable that human babies. _Zack's voice entered my head and I turned to see the dark brown wolf sit next to me.

'I just don't want him to get hurt.' I said softly.

_Cloud you sound just like a mama wolf! _Zack yipped.

I growled. 'Not this again.'

_I think you make a cute mama. _Squall's voice rang in my ears and I felt his cold, wet nose poke the side of my face.

I yelped and pushed his face away. 'Don't rub your nose on me!' I said and swatted at the midnight colored wolf.

Squall yipped and poked my face again with his nose. I wiped the wetness from my face and growled.

Squall yipped at my agitation and licked my face.

That was the last straw! I pounced on the wolf and pushed him to the ground. I tugged at his ears because I knew he found that annoying.

Squall growled and me before switching to human form and flipping us over. "Don't. Mess. With my. Ears!" Squall said before he pulled my arms over my head and nipped my nose.

"ALRIGHT! Alright, I give. Let go of my nose!" I yelped.

Squall smirked smugly and removed the soft clench of his teeth from my nose. _I win._

I growled. 'You've got like… superhuman strength, you have an unfair advantage.' I thought.

_So you'd rather me go easy on you? _Squall asked.

I mumbled. 'No. But I wouldn't mind winning every once in a while!'

Squall chuckled. _Then I guess you'll have to find my weakness. _

'Ooooooo, werewolves have those?' I asked.

_Well yeah, everyone has a weakness. Like… you don't like when I mess with your face. That's why I won the game when I bit your nose._

'Well, I know you don't like when people pull on your ears... but I still lost when I tried that tactic.' I said.

_Sure I don't like it… but it's not really my weakness. You'll just have to find out the truth later. _Squall smirked.

_Kitten… I hope you realize how inappropriate you two look right now… I mean, Squall is naked and definitely on top of you while holding your arms above your head… talk about kinky! _Zack yipped.

It took a second to register what Zack was saying… but when it finally computed, I threw Squall off of me and stood. 'Put on some clothes or turn back in to a wolf. You're gonna corrupt the kids!' I yelped.

Squall reverted back into a wolf before laying down for a nap.

I smiled at him but averted my attention to the kids when I heard Zell yelp.

I turned to see Zell chomp down on Sora's tail.

"Ow! He bit me! Zell really bit me!" Sora whined before growling at Zell.

Sora was about to fight back but I grabbed them both by the scruff.

"Cloud! Zell bit me and it really hurt!" Sora whimpered.

'Zell bit you because you were being a little too rough Sora. You have to understand that he's barely half your size. And Zell, just because Sora hurt you on accident doesn't ever mean you can bite him. You should apologize to each other.' I thought to them.

I placed them down and almost felt guilty for the dejected looks on their faces. Zell was the first to move. He slowly waddled over with his head down. Sora ducked his head down as well so that they were looking at each other face to face. After about a second of silence, they stood again and resumed their playing.

I smiled before sitting next to a dozing Squall. I started to pet his head.

_You handled that well. _Squall said.

'Thank you.' I thought.

Squall exhaled with a sigh and let his eyes start to droop.

'You must be tired.'

_Just a little. _

I continued to stroke his head before looking around the clearing. Zack and Xigbar were over by the big boulder, talking. Demyx and Axel were watching the kids. Xemnas was sitting while watching Riku sleep. Xion and Zexion were taking a nap as well. I looked back over to the kids to see that Zell was missing.

I looked around and relaxed when I realized he was next to me. 'Hey there.' I scooped him up and put him up to my face.

He licked my nose and I giggled. 'You're cute.' I thought before putting him back down.

I watched Zell happily trot over to Squall who was now sleeping.

'Leave Squall alone Z-' I started but it was already too late.

Zell would nip Squall's ear for a second and then run away as if Squall was going to come after him. When he would realize that Squall was still asleep, he'd creep back over to Squall and try it again.

It was so cute that I didn't have the heart to stop him.

After running back and creeping forward about five times Zell decided Squall would stay asleep and simply tugged on his ear.

I almost laughed when Squall's ear twitched and Zell jumped in surprise. He moved to bite Squall's ear again.

Squall growled and snapped his teeth at him causing Zell to flip out and run behind me.

I yipped in amusement. 'I think that was a little harsh Squall.' I thought.

_The dumb pup doesn't know when to take a hint! _Squall grumbled.

Zell whimpered and whined. 'That's cruel of you, Squall! You made him sad. C'mon Zell, you want to play with me?' I asked.

Zell's ears perked and he yipped. 'You think you can catch me?' I asked.

Zell howled and got ready for take off.

I smiled and started to run. I ran all around the clearing and managed to remain uncaught.

I looked behind me and laughed when I saw that Sora, Kairi, and Demyx were all in the chase.

I cut left and ran towards the boulder I ran to the top of it and jumped off of it to get some distance from my pursuers.

I jumped when I realized Zell managed to catch up to me.

I ran over to Squall's sleeping form and jumped over him. I laughed when Zell stopped abruptly and walked slowly around Squall so as to not wake him.

Then I ran smack into tree.

_Oooooooooo ouch…. _The voices of basically everyone rang in my ears. I pulled myself up and groaned.

"Shit that really hurt…" I whined and put a hand to my nose only to flinch and retract my hand.

There was blood on my fingers.

"Fuck… I hope this injury isn't serious…" I said to myself and moved to stand.

I caught a dizzy spell and started to fall to the ground. But somebody caught me.

"I knew something like this would happen." Squall said carrying my over to the boulder to set me down.

"How?" I asked.

"Well, knowing you, you probably wanted to see what Zell was doing after you jumped over me. I knew you would get too distracted and forget about the fact that you were running straight for a tree." Squall explained before kneeling in front of me.

"How bad is it?" I asked.

"It's fine… you just have a big scrape on your nose from the bark." Squall said and leaned forward.

"W-wait!" I said before he started to lick my nose.

He simply ignored me and continued licking the bridge of my nose.

I winced at the sting but after a second the pain went away entirely.

'Do I have a scar on my nose now?' I wondered.

_Just a small one, you can barely notice it. _Squall answered.

'Awww…' I pouted a little. Another one? That sucks… I hate scars…

I suddenly felt a hard tug on my arm and I stumbled after Squall.

"H-hey! Slow down! Where are we going?" I yelped.

He simply tightened his grip on my arm and ran faster.

I decided I would just wait and see where we were going. But when I noticed a certain log on the forest floor, I knew where we were going.

When we finally stopped at the lake I looked to him. "Is there a reason why you took me here suddenly?" I asked.

"Yeah, so I could do this." He said and pushed me suddenly.

I fell back into the water of the lake. IT WAS FREEZING!

When I came back up for air, I immediately started yelling obscenities at him.

He simply ignored me and dove in the water.

When he came back up I swam over to him and grabbed him arm. "It's freezing in here! Why would you do that? I didn't deserve this!" I yelled angrily.

He slowly pulled me close and put his face in my neck. _I'm sorry._

"Huh?"

_It seems like ever since you came here you've gotten more scars then necessary and I know you don't like them…_

"Well… it's not like they're your fault… you don't have to apologize." I said.

"At least one of them is my fault…" Squall said softly.

"What are you talking abo-…. Oh. No, no I don't-" I paused feeling guilty now.

"I don't regret the mark you gave me Squall… I don't even consider that a scar… I think of that more like a kickass tattoo or something like that. Please don't feel bad about it. I love you and I love your mark." I said in all seriousness.

"I love you… with or without scars. Please don't forget that." Squall said.

"I got it. I just really wish I hadn't run into that tree." I said with a pout.

Squall nipped my nose again before giving it a kiss. "I like it… and it makes for a funny story." He said with a laugh.

"Are you laughing at me?" I asked appalled.

Squall only laughed harder, his shoulders shaking with mirth.

"Stop laughing at me! That really hurt and you're laughing at me. See if I ever come to your aid when you get hurt." I growled.

"I'm sorry! It was just that you were running and looking so happy and then BOOM!" Squall went into hysterics.

"You ass!" I barked angrily.

Then suddenly a vision entered my head. It was me running but looking back at something. I turn to look back in front of me-BOOM!

Then there was a slow motion replay of my face smacking the tree.

I busted out laughing. "Okay, I get it. That was pretty damn funny. How did you do that by the way?" I asked.

_We're mates, we can read each other's thoughts, see each other's point of view, watch each other's dreams, share each other's feelings, and bare each other's pain. It's all part of the package._

"I had no idea… that was cool." I said.

"You feel better now?" Squall asked.

"You tell me." I said with a smirk.

Squall pulled me close again and leaned his forehead against mine. I gasped at the strange flowing feeling moving throughout my body.

"You're just fine." Squall said. "But you're feeling a little horny."

"Oh really?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yep, you want out of those wet clothes and you want me to touch you." Squall said pulling me out of the water.

I smirked.

"See, you're about ready to pounce." Squall said.

I pounced.

He chucked as we fell to the soft grass. I dove into a kiss. Squall immediately started working on my clothes.

Off came the shirt.

I reattached our lips and ran my hands through his wet hair before softly caressing an ear.

Squall moaned a little before unbuckling my jeans.

Off came the pants.

Squall flipped us over so that I was under him. He started to attack my neck with kisses and bites. I arched my back to meet his form.

"Ahhh…" I sighed out and clung to him as a hand moved down my chest thumbing over my nipples as it moved lower and lower.

Squall grunted and grinded down on me. I gasped and tugged on his hair.

"M-more, S-squall…" I moaned.

I yelped when I was suddenly flipped again. Squall then pulled me up towards him.

I was on my hands and knees.

I shivered when I hand started to travel up my inner thigh. I panted and tried to lean into the touch.

Slick fingers entered me and I hissed as the three fingers began to stretch. I whimpered and a tear fell down my cheek from the sting.

I relaxed when hot breath landed on my lower back that gave way to gentle kisses. He turned his fingers inside of me and I yelled out in pleasure.

"Squall… I-I'm ready… p-please… Ahh." I moaned.

Squall grunted before pulling his fingers from me and angling himself at my entrance.

I cried out on the first thrust. He immediately pinpointed the place inside me that made me unwind in ecstasy.

Squall stroked me in time with his thrusts, I could feel my arms and legs go weak and I felt like I was falling.

With a deep thrust, Squall pushed me forward and down. I could feel his hot body looming over me. I could feel his heart race.

"Ahhhhn, Squall I'm… I…" I couldn't finish my sentence but Squall understood.

He quickened his pace and tightened his grip on my lower member.

Squall's moans were quiet but I could hear them now that we were closer.

We moaned together before we came.

He bit me again right on the exact mark as before. I jolted in pain and in bliss.

When we were spent we fell to the grass again.

"Satisfied?" I asked.

Squall grabbed my hand. "You tell me."

I smiled before focusing on Squall and Squall only.

Suddenly it hit me. I could feel his racing heart in my chest as if it were my own. I could feel the after shocks of the orgasm he had just felt.

I let go of the feeling before looking at him. "I'm glad." I said.

Squall pulled me over to him and planted kisses on his mark. _I got a little carried away and bit you again._

'It's fine. It was in the same place.' I said.

Squall nodded before we drifted off to sleep.

-The Pack-

When I woke the next morning, the sun was shedding soft beams through the branches of the trees. I could feel Squall's arm around me and I couldn't help but smile and snuggle closer into his warmth.

And that's when I felt something soft against my back.

I turned in surprise but smiled when I realized what it was.

Zell had sniffed us out and snuggled his way in here while we were sleeping. Well, at least while I was sleeping. I don't Squall would have slept though it all.

I decided I would watch them sleep for a while. It was completely adorable. Zell was snuggled so close to Squall. They looked like father and son.

Shit… I guess that did make me mom…

I started to fall asleep again but opened my eyes in surprise when Squall jolted from his sleep.

He stood and grabbed Zell before running into the trees away from the lake.

_Put on your clothes Cloud. That strange man is coming. _Squall said.

I moved and quickly retrieved my clothes. 'What do you want me to do?' I asked.

_You need to get him away from here! This man keeps getting closer and closer to the clearing. If we don't get him to leave, he's going to find us. _Squall explained.

"I never thought I'd see one of you in broad daylight." The gruff voice said.

"The last time I checked, humans weren't nocturnal, we tend to come out in the daylight quite frequently." I said.

"Shit, you again? I'm not looking for humans, I'm looking for werewolves." The man said and came closer.

"You're still looking for mythical creatures? What is wrong with you man! There's no one here but me and other park goers. You better stop with these damn traps and crazy assumptions or I'll get you for disturbing the peace! What you're doing is illegal and if you don't stop I will tell the police. And there's no use threatening me this time." I said.

"Well, what are you doing here?" he asked.

"Swimming, DUH!" I snapped.

"This early in the morning?"

"Yeah, you gotta problem with that?" I asked.

"Something's definitely wrong with you." The gruff man said.

"Wrong with _me_? Man, you're the one spouting shit about werewolves!"

The man huffed.

"You should go home. Unless you want to watch me swim, I suggest you leave." I said.

"Well if your giving me an option, I think I'll stay." He said and sat near the tree.

"Are you fucking kidding me? No dude! Go away! I can't swim in jeans and I refuse to swim naked in front of you!" I yelped.

"Stop being a girl, we have the same parts." The man said.

"You are a pervert! Go the fuck away!" I yelled.

"Why should I?" he asked.

"I have a right to privacy!" I yelled.

"This is a public area." He said.

"Why are you so persistent? If I leave, will you leave?" I asked.

"Yes." He said.

"You're a real asshole!" I said and started to walk away. I new this was going to hurt but it was for the good of the pack.

I continued to walk towards a trap, pretending I wasn't aware that it was there.

"Hey! DON'T WALK OVER THE-"

"OWWWW! GODDAMMIT! WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS!" I cried when the trap clenched on my leg.

"I WARNED YOU NOT TO GET OVER THERE!" The man yelled.

"NO YOU DIDN'T! I'M THE ONLY PERSON THAT COMES HERE! AND THIS IS THE SECOND TIME I'VE BEEN STUCK IN A TRAP. ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL ME? THERE ARE NO SUCH THINGS AS WEREWOLVES! PLEASE TAKE THESE TRAPS OUT OF THE PARK. I DON'T WANT TO GET HURT ANYMORE!" I screamed in pain turning the waterworks on full blast.

"I'm sorry kid! I'm sorry! Let me get you out of there. Stop screaming and stop crying!" he said and opened the trap.

I pulled my leg over and pulled my jeans up. The cut wasn't as deep because of my jeans. I was thankful for that.

"Why don't you come with me? I have a first aid kit in my truck." The man said and tried to pick me up.

"STOP! DON'T TOUCH ME!" I yelled.

"Kid, you're bleeding. I can help you!" he said.

"You've done enough. Please just leave, and take you're traps with you." I cried.

"Will you tell the cops on me?" the man asked.

"If you take all of your traps from the forest and stay away from here then I won't tell." I said.

"You got a deal! You're a good boy!" The man said and started to pick up the traps are around the area.

I managed to stand and walk over to the lake where I cleaned my leg and made sure the guy was getting rid of everything.

When he was finished the man was hauling twenty bear traps and two small cages.

I sighed when he was finally gone. My leg was stinging and I needed the guy to leave so that Squall could come out.

Squall came running towards me at breakneck speed. _WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT? HOW COULD YOU INJURE YOUR OWN LEG? WHEN I HEARD THE TRAP GO OFF AND YOUR SCREAMING… IT WAS TORTURE CLOUD! DON'T EVER DO SOMETHING SO STUPID EVER AGAIN! _Squall's voice was screaming in my head.

"He wouldn't leave! I didn't know what else to do but to scare him off. And it worked! You saw him hauling away those traps!" I said.

_Cloud that doesn't matter half as much as your safety does._

"I-I'm s-sorry… I wanted the f-forest to be safe for my pack…" I whimpered.

Squall whined as if he were in pain. _Please, don't ever sacrifice yourself like that ever again._

"Okay…" I said quietly.

Squall moved closer to me. His icy blue eyes focused on my leg. Squall sat next to me and moved down to lick my wound. His tail swished a little and Zell stood quietly by my feet.

When all was done I pulled down my pant leg and stood. 'I'm glad I could make the forest safer for you guys on my last day here.' I thought.

The midnight blue wolf moved over to me and licked my hand. _Thank you._

I smiled and we made it back to the clearing.


	13. Chapter 13

**The Pack**

**Disclaimer: **Nada… but the plot is mine.

Chapter 13

Squall immediately looked to Zack when we entered the clearing.

_Zack, I need you to follow that strange man in the forest. I need you to make sure that he's removing all of those traps._

_Got it. Are you okay Cloud? We all freaked out when we heard your screams. _Zack's voice sounded.

I nodded with a smile. 'I was trying to get the guy to go away. It worked.' I thought.

Zack nodded and moved out of the clearing.

_Ewww… this guy smells rancid! Do I really have to scout this guy? _Zack's voice again.

I laughed and Squall grunted. _Yes. Please go._

Xemnas walked over to us. _As much as I would love to think that you really scared him off Cloud, I can't help but feel that he gave in too soon. He's more persistent than that._

I frowned.

_Found him._ Zack's voice returned.

'So what's the guy doing?' I wondered.

_He's picking up all of the small traps. The big one's haven't been touched._

I bit my lip. 'Any idea on why he's leaving them.'

_Wait… he's talking to himself… he said… 'That kid said it was the second time he'd gotten stuck in a trap. I was there both times… so… who was stuck in my large cage, and who broke the cage to get him or her out?' _

'Shit… I'm so stupid. I didn't think he would really analyze what I said.' I slumped.

_It's alright Cloud. I don't think you're a suspect. The only problem is that he has evidence to believe that other people are in the forest. _

'But I still made it worse…' I trailed.

_That's not true. He's picking up the smaller traps, which means we can run easier now. And we don't have to fret so much over the kids wandering off. _Squall noted.

_Don't be so hard on yourself. _Riku added.

I smiled a little. 'Thanks.' I thought before slumping to the ground.

The midnight blue wolf sniffed my face before giving it a lick. _Thank you, Cloud._

I smiled before petting the sides of the wolf's face. He nuzzled his face in my hand.

_Can I check on this guy later then? HE STINKS! _Zack yelled.

_You may come back. _Was Xamnas' command.

_Thank you! _Zack yipped.

It took maybe five minutes for Zack to get back to the clearing.

_Zack why do you smell like that? _Xigbar asked.

_I couldn't get the smell away so I tried rolling around in the dirt and rubbing myself on trees._

Xigbar yipped and nuzzled the side of the dark brown wolf's face.

I smiled.

"So… now that we're off the subject of that creepy guy… I have to say, you two can be pretty darn loud when you're doin' it. I mean, I think we could all hear it loud and clear!" Zack laughed as he began to put on some clothes.

I blushed. "I'm sorry! I didn't know you could hear it! I didn't mean to disturb you! I'm sorry!" I babbled in embarrassment.

"I'm just kidding… we didn't hear anything. But you sure don't hide it." Zack said.

"Hide what?" I asked confused.

"Your 'I just got eaten pheromones.'" Zack yipped.

Xigbar bonked Zack on the head and moved to retrieve his clothes. "Don't listen to that idiot. He likes to tease." Xigbar said.

"Oh… but how did he know about…" I trailed off.

_Well, you are giving off pheromones. But that's not your fault and they're not a problem. Zack was just teasing you. _Riku voice sounded.

"Do you guys give off pheromones?" I asked.

"Well yeah… but there's a way to suppress them. They can be pretty overbearing sometimes." Axel suddenly piped in.

"Are mine too strong? I'm sorry! Can I suppress them too?" I asked feeling guilty.

_Alright, that's enough. Leave my mate alone. _Squall growled.

_We're not accusing you or finding fault with you Cloud. Emitting pheromones is one of your body's many natural functions. Sometimes, a mate doesn't like it when everyone else can smell them because they're like raw emotions flowing from your body. They can make you vulnerable and that can sometimes lead to conflict. I apologize if we made you feel attacked or victimized. _Riku explained.

I nodded, looking to the ground. I couldn't help but feel very exposed and embarrassed.

"Zack, I think you went too far this time." Xigbar said in a stern tone.

Zack whimpered and his ears when flat on his head. "Kitten? I didn't mean to make you upset. Sometimes I say things without thinking. I'm _really _sorry… please don't be sad."

I took a breath and smiled. "No, I'm sorry. I was being too sensitive. If I was making it obvious, then I should have been prepared for when the subject came up." I said.

"B-but it wasn't your fault! You didn't know! You weren't being too sensitive, I was being inconsiderate. I exposed your private life without thinking about your feelings. Here, bonk me on the head!" Zack said and moved his head closer, face wincing in the anticipation of contact.

"I'm not going to hit you." I said and rubbed his ears a little. "Can we just leave that subject alone for now?" I asked.

Zack nodded and wrapped his arms around me. "I LOVE YOU CLOUD!" He yelled.

I giggled. "Love you to Zack."

Zack scooted away when Squall and Xigbar growled.

"We don't love each other like that! Come on!" Zack and I yelled together.

The others snickered at our antics.

"You guys are great! Don't you think so Zex?" Demyx said with a smile.

The quiet wolf simply nodded before relaxing again. Xion yipped. _He's a little anti-social._ She said.

I turned to see a bluish-silver wolf sitting next to one of almost the same color.

Her eyes were the deepest cerulean I had ever seen.

'You're eyes are beautiful…' I thought.

_Thank you. _She nodded.

I blushed. 'I forgot you guys could read my thoughts again.'

_It's fine. But have you really looked at Zexion's? They are much more interesting. _She said.

I got up and moved closer. Zexion lifted his head and opened his eyes.

They were the same but… the color faded to gold as it got closer to the pupil.

"Whoa…" I said. "I've ever seen something like that before. I wish I had a fancy eye color."

_But you do. _Xion said.

"Nah, mine's just regular blue."

_No, you're eyes resemble the sky most brilliantly. _Her voice again.

'I'll take your word for it.' I said.

_You shouldn't have to. You'll understand one day. _Xion's voice rang in my head.

I nodded with a puzzled look. I turned when I felt a tug on my shirt.

I turned to see Zell tugging on my shirt. 'What's wrong?' I wondered.

Squall growled and stood. _He's used to being fed everyday. He doesn't know restraint._

'Well, how do we teach him restraint?' I wondered.

_Don't feed him. _Squall said.

'WHAT?' I yelped.

_Don't feed him._

"What kind of care taker would I be if I deprived a hungry child of food?" I asked.

Zell seemed to sense the negative energy between us and backed away slowly.

_This is why I'll never understand humans! He's Loup Garou! He won't starve to death even if he didn't eat for a week! He doesn't need to eat everyday! _Squall growled.

I growled. "This is different Squall! He's been conditioned to feel hungry every day. It has to be a gradual change otherwise you'll hurt him! It's you who doesn't understand!" I yelled out loud.

_I won't have it! I won't have him acting like a pampered dog in a wolf pack! If he doesn't change then I wont have him! _Squall growled deeper.

"Excuse me! But who gave you the right to deny people into your pack. The last time I checked, Xemnas was Alpha!" I yelled.

Squall snarled at me. _And who gave you the right to scream and defy me? _He said bearing his teeth at me.

Zell whined and scooted closer to Squall with his head down.

Squall snarled and snapped at Zell. My eyes widened at the murderous look in Squall's eyes.

Zell yelped and ran from the clearing whining with fear.

My eyes started water. "You… you monster!" I yelped before running after Zell.

When I was a far distance from the clearing I looked around. "Zell!" I yelled.

I ran around yelling his name, listening for a sound, anything.

That's when I noticed small little footprints in the dirt. I kneeled down and touched them.

They weren't very fresh. But I took my chances in following them. When I saw the four trees of the sacred spot I walked over to it.

And there he was, curled into a little ball, trembling with fear.

"Z-zell…" I trailed off.

He lifted his head and whimpered at me. I let out a sob. "I'm s-so sorry."

Zell howled and I slid to the forest floor in tears. "I-I'm s-s-so s-sorry…" I sobbed.

Zell crawled over to me and we cried together. "I c-can't feed you… but I-I'm n-not neglecting y-you… o-okay?" I said through my sobs.

Zell whimpered and I scooped him up and held him to me. Zell nuzzled into my chest.

'I only wanted what was best for you Zell… but… it seems that I don't really _know_ what's best for you… I'm… I'm not Loup Garou…' I thought with a sharp pang in my chest.

I placed Zell back down and gave him a kiss on the head. "Zell, go back to the clearing." I said.

Zell tilted his head in confusion.

"Zell, go back to the clearing and stay with Riku. Don't forget to watch out for traps okay?" I said again.

Zell whined and snuggled next to me.

"No Zell, go back. You need to stay with your own kind. I love you but you need to go back and learn what it means to be Loup Garou. Go back and be proud of what you are okay? Go… Go Zell." I said and pushed him along.

Zell whimpered before walking back to the clearing.

I sighed and let a few more tears fall before I wiped them away and walked towards my house.

I just need to go back to what's familiar. And only for a little while… then I'll go back and see if they still want me. If they don't then I'll just accept things for what they are and return to my normal life.

I bit lip as I walked in an attempt to stop the rush of hurt that kept crashing at my heart like a wave in a tempest.

I walked up to the front door and took out my key from by back pocket. I opened the door and walked inside.

"Honey, is that you? What did the police say? Will they start searching for Clo-" My mother paused in surprise.

I nodded at her and started towards my room.

She caught my hand. "Where the hell were you? I thought you were dead or something!" She yelled.

"Nowhere, I was nowhere…" I said quietly.

"Cloud Strife you will tell me the truth right now!" She yelled.

"NOWHERE! GOD! I WASN'T ANYWHERE! I JUST WANT TO GO TO SLEEP! P-PLEASE!" I screamed before falling to the floor in despair.

"Cloud…" she trailed off.

"P-please let me go to my room…" I said.

She let go of my hand and I stood slowly before entering my room and closing the door.

I moved to my bed… I was so tired. I laid down and closed my eyes.

I was cold and uncomfortable.

I pulled the blanket from my bed and wrapped it around me. I then got up and laid down on the carpeted floor.

I closed my eyes. I imagined the carpet was the soft grass by the lake and the blanket around me was actually Squall's warm body. I drifted off to sleep.

I stirred when I felt a hand combing through my hair. "Squall…" I mumbled before drifting again.

"Cloud…" his voice. "Wake up."

I opened my eyes to see Squall sitting next to me on the floor of my room.

"Squall!" I jumped in surprise and in fear.

Squall whimpered. "C-Cloud… I-I'm s-so sorry. I…" He whined.

I looked at Squall. His ears were flat on his head and his body was close to the floor in a subordinate pose.

And then I really looked at him.

He had cuts and bruises everywhere and a large open gash on his forehead and face. He was shaking as if his muscles could barely hold him up.

"Wh-what h-happened to you?" I asked now extremely upset.

"I was punished for hurting you." He managed to get out smoothly.

"I didn't want this! I d-didn't want you to get hurt!" I cried.

"P-please… please don't cry." He whimpered and moved closer.

"S-squall… I don't want to leave your pack! I d-don't want to stop being your mate." I said.

"B-but I snarled at you and I hurt Zell! I was so angry for no reason! I promised I wouldn't hurt you! I'm a monster!" his muscles collapsed and he fell to the floor.

"NO! I didn't mean that! I love you more than anything and I want you be with you forever and solve any obstacle with you! Don't make me leave you and Zell and Sora and Kairi and everyone else! I c-can't… I love guys so much…" I whimpered.

Squall pulled himself up and he wrapped his arms around me. He let out a series of whines.

He was crying.

I combed my fingers through his hair as he whined.

I held him tightly before focusing on Squall. I gasped when the pain he was feeling transferred to my body.

"Cloud. Stop. Don't do that." He said before nuzzling his face in my neck.

I could see that some his bruises were gone and the gash on his forehead had scarred.

But now I had a headache and my legs felt weak.

Squall pulled away from me and planted kisses on my face.

"Can we go back home now?" I asked.

Squall smiled and stood. "If I ever get out of line like that again. Smack me in the nose before I do anything stupid okay?" he said.

I tried to stand but fell back down. "Got it." I said.

Squall lifted me up and into his arms. "I love you." He said.

I smiled and licked his cheek.

Squall cheeks turned pink and I laughed. "Are you blushing?" I asked.

"No. Wolves don't blush…" he said quickly.

I sighed and snuggled into his shirt. "Is Zell okay?" I asked.

Squall frowned. "He's still afraid of me."

"By the way, how did you get in here?" I asked.

_The window._

'Oh…' I thought before he placed me on the bed and opened the window again.

He scooped me back up, we left the house and we were on our way home again.

REVIEW MY LOVES!


	14. Chapter 14

**The Pack**

**Disclaimer: **Every thing except for the plot is hereby disclaimed.

Chapter 14

I didn't realize I had fell asleep in Squall's arms until I was awakened by his gentle voice.

_Cloud, I'm approaching the clearing. Do you want me to put you down? _

'Yes please.' I thought and he placed me down. I wobbled a little before my stance was stable again.

I walked into the clearing and immediately spotted a white pup barreling towards me.

"Zell!" I yelped.

The small pup jumped into my arms and I held him close. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I told you to leave!" I said.

The small Loup garou whined as I held him. I closed my eyes.

When I felt others wrap their arms around me I opened them again.

Zack had tears in his eyes. "Y-you can't j-just leave! W-who's gonna help me track down food and keep me company when Xigbar's asleep! Y-you, you meanie!" Zack started to whine.

"I-I'm sorry." I whimpered.

"Jerk!" He yelped.

"I-I'm so sorry." My voice broke.

Xigbar bonked Zack on the head before joining the hug. "It's not your fault Cloud… but the truth is… you really are one of us now and if you were to leave, our whole system would fall apart. We need you Cloud. We don't ever want you to leave!" Xigbar said while trying to act unphased.

We all new deep down that he was very upset.

"I d-don't want to leave." I said in a whisper.

"Good…" Riku said and squeezed himself into the huddle.

I looked to see Sora and Kairi looking back at me with sad expressions on their faces.

The others around me moved away and I put Zell down.

I looked to Xemnas and he nodded as if happy to see me back.

I kneeled down in front of Sora and Kairi.

"We're sorry." They said.

I gave them a puzzled face.

"If we made you mad or sad… we didn't mean t-to… p-please d-don't leave l-like our mommies d-d-did!" Kairi wailed.

"W-we'll b-be good! I p-promise! P-please d-don't hate us anymore!" Sora whimpered.

I grabbed them both and pulled them to me as tightly as I could. "I will never, EVER hate you. I left because I thought that maybe you and I were too different. That I really couldn't stay because I'm not what you are… b-but I wanted to stay! I didn't want to go! E-even though I kn-knew that we were different and that I wouldn't understand, I wanted t-to b-be in the p-pack!" I said starting to feel upset again.

"You don't ever have to leave! Me and Sora will find you and bring you back if you try!" Kairi said.

"Yeah! And we'll beat up who ever it is who gave you the stupid idea that you don't belong!" Sora said.

I chuckled. "Thanks you two. I love very much." I said.

"We love you too!" they said.

I let them go and looked around. Squall was lying over on the other side of the clearing.

I stood and started to walk over to him. Zell ran in front of me.

'Zell, follow me.' I thought.

Zell's ears flattened and he sat. I looked at him and frowned.

'Squall isn't a bad person, Zell. He wont hurt you.' I told him.

Zell simply started to tremble.

'I know he was really scary a while ago, but I promise that he isn't normally like that. Please come with me? I don't want you to be afraid of him… he's… like your dad or something…' I finished.

Zell stood and I patted him on the head. 'Thank you.'

Zell followed closely behind me as we walked over to the other side of the clearing.

Squall opened his eyes as we approached. I moved over to him and sat. 'Zell, he's not scary. Why don't you come over here and sit with us?' I thought to him.

The pup whined and trembled where he stood.

'I wouldn't let Squall hurt you even if he was scary. C'mon Zell. We both love you very much.' I thought.

_Forget it Cloud… the pup doesn't like me. I messed up. _Squall's voice said as he got up and left the clearing.

I frowned. "SQUALL!"

When Squall was out of sight. Zell moved over next to me and sat.

'I don't think that was very nice Zell. Squall wasn't being remotely mean and you refused to sit near him. You made him sad.' I gave Zell and reprimanding look.

Zell's ears flopped and he whimpered.

'I know you're afraid of him… but it give you the right to be cruel.' I thought.

Zell's head sank and I sighed.

'I wonder where he went?' I thought.

After about ten minutes, Squall came back to the clearing.

I watched as he approached Zell and I.

Zell's trembling became more and more pronounced as Squall got closer.

Squall opened his mouth and something fell to the ground.

A dead bird.

_Eat. _Squall thought to Zell and walked away.

Zell looked at me with a puzzled face.

'That's food Zell, eat every bit of it or I'll be angry with you.' I said before standing.

I left Zell to eat and moved over to Squall.

'I love you.' I thought before lying down next to him and running my hand over his fur-covered body.

_Love you too. _He replied.

I sighed and snuggled closer to his warmth. Squall released a contented growl low in his throat.

When I heard someone approaching I flipped around to see who it was.

Zell was slowly inching closer, trying his hardest not to run away.

I watched as he moved closer and closer, patience flowing through my as I let him go on his own pace.

Unfortunately, Squall didn't really have the same patience I had and he moved his paw to bring him closer.

Zell yelped and moved to run away only to have his tail stuck under Squall's large paw.

I moved and stood. Squall stood as well and then picked Zell up by the scruff of his neck.

Zell was in a panic hanging from Squall's teeth.

'Zell, calm down. Is Squall hurting you?' I wondered.

The pup suddenly stopped his whining to become aware of his situation. Squall put him down and Zell turned to look up at Squall.

I smiled when Squall licked Zell's little face before nuzzling his little body with his nose.

Zell sneezed before yipping and nuzzling back.

I smiled and sat back down, the wave of relief that was flowing through me allowed to finally relax. Everything was back to normal… and we were all a family again.

Squall looked to me and suddenly pounced on top of me and started to lick my face. I yelped and giggled. I opened my eyes to see Zell running towards me.

They both decided to attack my face with kisses.

"WAAHHHH! ST-STOP! IT TICKLES!" I laughed out loud.

When they pulled back, Demyx grabbed Zell and lifted him in to the air.

"SORA, KAIRI! ZELL'S BEEN STOLEN!" I yelped.

"We'll catch him!" They stood and ran towards Demyx, who was holding a yipping pup in the air.

I got up and ran towards Demyx who lowered Zell so that I could take him. I took him from Demyx and started to run around.

"That's not fair! You can't be on Demyx's team!" Kairi said.

"What? Riku's on your team!" I said.

"WHAT!" Riku yelped in surprise.

"YAY! Riku almost never plays with us! C'mon Riku! We have to get Zell back!" Sora yipped.

_You've got to be kidding m-_ Riku started but paused when he saw the look on his mate's face.

_Alright… fine. It's not like you play with the kids, Xemnas._ Riku mumbled.

Xemnas growled.

Riku huffed.

Xemnas snarled.

Riku snarled back.

Xemnas stood his large form towering over Riku's.

The black wolf grunted and turned, his tail swishing in Xemnas' face.

Xemnas seemed to sigh and roll his eyes before laying back down to doze.

I smiled. That was definitely the first time I had seen Xemnas reveal so much personality.

"Are we playing this game or not?" Riku said now dressed and ready for the game.

I smiled and started to run.

"GET HIM!" Sora and Kairi yelled together.

-The Pack-

When I woke up, I was snuggled close to Squall's warm fur. Today marked the beginning of my return to work and the house. It was a little sad and I was reluctant to get up and go to work… but I smiled knowing that this family would be waiting for me to come back after work.

I ran a hand through the fur in front of me. I could feel the gentle rise and fall of Squall's chest and steady beat of his heart.

I sighed happily before burying my face in his hair.

_Are you getting ready to go? _Squall's voice rang in my head.

'Yeah… I'll be back when my shift over and stay for a couple of hours before going back to the house.' I thought back to him.

A growl rumbled in his chest. _I don't want you to go._

I smiled. 'I'm not going anywhere. The only difference is that I'll be gone during parts of the day and I will sleep at the house.'

_Why can't you stay? _ Squall wondered.

'I was leading a life before I came here Squall… I don't feel comfortable abandoning it. What if I asked you to live with me and leave your pack behind… Wouldn't you refuse?' I asked.

Squall was silent.

'Squall… don't be upset with me. It's not like I love my other life more that this one. But I did have friends… they are kind of like a family too. Can you understand that? Please don't make this harder for me. I love you and I love this pack. But am I not allowed to love friends outside of it?' I asked.

_I want you to come back… I need you to._

'I will Squall. I'm in this for life remember? Where is all this unease coming from? I can feel it Squall. Don't worry. I need to get ready, do you want to come with me?' I asked.

Squall stood and I got up as well. I moved to my duffle bag and pulled out some clothes.

Squall and I walked over to the lake. It was still dark in the sky when we arrived. I took off my old clothing after placing my new clothes on the tree branch.

Suddenly I felt myself being lifted and I yelped.

Squall threw me in the water.

When I came back up I growled at him. 'You never get tired of that, do you?'

Squall yipped before jumping in.

He came up from the water right in front of me.

"I love you." I said out loud.

Squall wrapped his arms around me and let a low and gentle growl sound in reply.

I smiled before giving his face a lick.

His face tinted red again.

'You did it again! You're blushing!' I thought.

_Wolves don't blush._

'Oh yes they do!' I replied.

_Well… you licked my face and I didn't think you would do something like that._

'What's so special about that?' I wondered.

_I always thought you would just kiss me like a human would. It caught me off guard the first time you did it. To lick someone's face is the purest form of saying 'I love you.' It's a little embarrassing to do it. That's why you don't see the others lick each other's face very often. I didn't expect you to do it… that's all._

I snorted. 'Maybe I should lick you more often.'

Squall grunted.

I yipped and connected our lips. Squall held me tighter as I wrapped my arms around his neck.

Squall sighed into the kiss before grabbing control of the kiss and sliding his hands lower down my back.

I shivered at the movement and let a small whine escape my throat.

"GOOOOOOD MORNING ALL!" I jumped at the yell and turn to see Zack canon-balling into the lake.

"Zack! We were supposed to be discreet! They were having a moment! Dumbass…" Xigbar said before entering the lake water.

I smiled. "Hey!"

"Did you really think we'd let you leave without saying goodbye to all of us? Don't give Squall special treatment just because he's your mate! We want to see you off too!" Zack yipped.

"It's not like I'm leaving forever! I'm coming back after work!" I said.

"That's not the point." I turned to see Riku sliding into the water.

"Yeah! We still want to be there when you leave and when you come back!" Sora and Kairi said before jumping into the lake.

I looked over to the tree to see Xemnas and Zell sitting with soft gazes of their faces.

My eyes started to water. "You guys! I-I l-love you guys!" I yelped.

"We wanted to say goodbye too!" Demyx said with Axel by his side. Xion and Zexion moved next to Xemnas.

I smiled. "Thanks, all of you. Though it does sound a little weird for all of you to say that you all want to watch me leave. Are you sure you're not kicking me out?" I asked with a laugh.

_No… I just wanted to watch your ass as you left. I mean, that thing is FINE! _Axel said with a 'wolf whistle.'

Squall growled and I laughed. "You're too much Axel."

It was maybe a half an hour of all of us goofing around in the water. But when the sun finally came up, the water started to get cold.

"Zack is cold! Xiggy hold Zack!" Zack said and grabbed onto Xigbar's arm.

"Why are you talking like that?" he asked.

"I don't know… it just sorta came out like that…" Zack said with a shrug.

Xigbar kissed Zack's head. "Idiot."

I smiled at them. 'You two are adorable.' I thought.

They yipped.

I turned and looked over to my clothes. I didn't really want to reveal my naked self to everyone here, but my clothes were hanging on a tree.

I shrugged and moved to get out of the water when Squall grabbed me. _Stay here._

I gave him a puzzled look but nodded.

Squall got out of the water and changed into wolf form. _Now get out._ He ordered.

'Oh. Thank you Squall." I said when I realized what he was doing.

When I stood, Squall's height was just tall enough to hade what I didn't want to show to the others.

_You're a clever one Squall but I'll get a piece of that meat eventually. _Axel said.

"AWW! Cloud! Don't be shy! We're naked all the time!" Zack yelled.

"Sorry… it's just… it's a human thing. I really only want Squall to see me naked…" I trailed off with a blush.

_I think it's very admirable of you. _Riku's voice said.

'Thank you.' I thought to him.

"I think it's stupid. I know almost all of your kind doesn't abide to those values at all. It can't actually be a valued custom if no one does it!" Axel said.

'It was how I was raised and that's what I believe in. If you have a problem with that then you need to keep it to yourself.' I thought to him.

"Y-yeah! Shut up Axel! You're only saying that because you want to see him naked! I bet you if you were his mate you would be perfectly fine with him only revealing his body to you so shut up… stupid!" Zack added at the last minute in a fast rant.

I snorted at Zack and thanked him in a thought.

_No problem Cloud! I got your back whenever you need it! _

I put on my clothes quickly and when I was finished and kneeled down. 'Thank you Squall.' I thought.

Squall licked my face and I giggled.

"I need to head to the Bakery now. I'll see you guys when I get back." I said with a smile.

"BYE CLOUD!" Zack yelled.

I shook my head in amusement and the others nodded a farewell and bid a quieter adieu.

_I'll walk you. _Squall said.

'You don't have to.' I said.

A dressed Squall ran up to me and grabbed my hand. I blushed.

_Awww! Squally is becoming versed in human customs! _Zack yipped.

Squall growled at the nickname and I laughed.

We walked toward the city and I couldn't help but look down at our linked hands. I was happy that we could understand each other and adapt to one another's lifestyles.

Squall squeezed my hand and I smiled.

We walked silently out of the park and towards the bakery. When we got there I turned to him. 'I'll be back in the forest in no time, okay?' I thought to him.

He grunted before placing a small kiss on my lips. _Be safe._

I smiled. 'Don't worry! Go back to the clearing okay? I'll be there sooner than you think.' I thought.

"Hey Cloud!" Naminé greeted.

I turned to Nami and smiled. "Hey, sorry I haven't opened it all up yet. I was… distracted." I said.

"You guys must have gotten friendlier after your first encounter. To tell you the truth, I think Cloud thought you were a serial killer…" Naminé said.

"Oh! Naminé you jest!" I said and opened the door of the shop before ushering her inside.

_I don't really care Cloud. You don't have to lock your friend into a building. _Squall said with a hint of amusement.

'Fine, come inside so I can introduce you to Nami and Tidus.' I thought to him.

We walked inside and I sighed. "Yeah, sorry about that Nami. Squall, this is my friend and coworker Naminé. Nami, this is my boyfriend Squall." I introduced.

She smiled. "I knew it! I knew there was something special going on!" she said with a giggle.

"Well… it seems you approve. I just have to wait until Tidus comes to see what he thinks." I said before heading to the back and starting on the bread.

'It'll take me about fifteen minutes to make this bread, do you mind waiting?' I wondered.

_This girl smells like flowers…_

I laughed out loud as I kneaded the dough.

"Cloud what are you laughing at back there?" Naminé asked.

I stopped laughing.

'Yeah, she smells nice. You should talk to her. She's a sweet girl.' I said.

When I didn't hear a reply I figured he either started to talk to Nami or decided to remain quiet.

After a few minutes I heard Squall laugh.

I quickly put the loaves of bread in the oven and walked back to the front. "I just heard Squall laugh. What's so funny?" I asked.

"Oh, I was just talking about the time you were watching a kid eat his blueberry muffin and you walked right into the door. It was so funny!" Naminé said with a smile.

"Don't tell him about my embarrassing moments… THEY'RE EMBARRASSING!" I yelped.

Squall laughed. "We were in the park and he was watching me play with a puppy as he was running and he ran right into a tree."

"SHUT UP!" I covered my red face and crouched behind the counter so you couldn't see me.

"You have to admit that it was quite funny Cloud." Squall said as Nami continued to laugh at my misfortune.

I sighed. "It was kinda funny…"

"Good morning-Oh! A customer already?" Tidus asked.

I stood from behind the counter and shook my head. "I wanted to introduce you to my boyfriend Squall. Squall, this is Tidus." I said.

"Nice to meet you man." Tidus held out his hand.

Squall shook it. "Same here."

Tidus turned to me with a smug look. "I told you, you're a catcher and there's no hiding it now!"

"TIDUS!" I yelped.

"What? We all know _he's_ not catching! There's just no way. He's 100% the dominant male. There's no questioning it." Tidus said.

"When was it suddenly decided that today was 'Pick on Cloud Day?' I certainly didn't get the memo!" I said.

"Hey did Cloud tell you about the time he called some fat chick pregnant and she punched him in the face? Man! I'd never see a woman hit so hard in my life!" Tidus said.

Squall looked to me. "You certainly are a clumsy one aren't you?"

"Are you having fun picking on me!" I pouted.

Squall pulled me onto his lap. "Yes, yes I am." He said with a smirk.

I blushed and tried to stand but Squall had a strong grip on my waist.

Tidus smirked at me.

"SHUT UP!" I yelped.

"Oh, my friend, I didn't say anything." Tidus replied.

"You two are really cute." Nami said.

"Yeah, definitely. I approve!" Tidus said with a smile.

I beamed at them. "That means a lot to me. Thank you." I said.

"Well, it's hard to disapprove when you look happier than you've ever been." Tidus said and Naminé nodded.

_Cloud, I have to go back and kick Axel's ass for causing a disturbance._

'Don't hurt him too much. He's nice on some occasions.' I thought. "I'll see you tonight." I said.

Squall nodded and planted a kiss in my lips before leaving.

When Squall was out the door, Tidus looked to me. "You two look really happy, dude. I mean sure, he has a wacky taste in hats but he's not bad."

"Thanks. I like to think that I date good people." I said.

"That's not what I meant." Tidus said.

"I know." I said with a smile.

A/N: REVIEW!


	15. Chapter 15

**The Pack**

**Disclaimer: **If I owned all of this… would I really be sitting in front of this computer typing right now? No! I'd probably turn this shit into a movie and make more money than Twilight!

Chapter 15

When Squall left, we all decided it was time to actually get to work. I moved back into the kitchen and took the breads out of the oven. Naminé decided to start on a cheesecake.

"Tidus, can you put the bagels in the front?" I asked.

"Yeah sure!" he said and grabbed the bagels from the cupboard and left the kitchen.

"Do you think we should make a fruit topping for this cheesecake?" Nami asked.

"Ummmm… yeah. I'll make a blueberry one and a strawberry one so that the customers can choose." I said and started to pull the fruits from the fridge.

I smiled when I thought about the delicious cheesecake. These customers better get here quick because… I might just eat the cheesecake before they get here!

I looked to the door of the kitchen and watched as Tidus walked over to the cupboard once again.

'Tidus can you get me the sugar from the cupboard?'

…..

'Tidus, the sugar.'

…

"TIDUS!" I yelled.

The other two in the kitchen jumped at my raised voice.

"What! Where's the fire?" Tidus asked alarmed.

"Did you not here me the first two times? I asked you for the sugar and you ignored me!" I yelped.

"Cloud… you haven't said anything…" Naminé said.

"Sure I did. I said 'Tidus can you get me the su…'" I trailed off when I realized what happened.

I tried to tell him through my thoughts.

"Cloud are you okay?" Naminé asked.

"Yeah, I'm sorry I yelled. I'm a little tired this morning." I said.

"Yeah… from getting screwed all night!" Tidus joked.

"Tidus! So not funny!" I yelled.

"Yes it is…" Nami mumbled.

"Not you too!" I yelped.

"Well I mean… it's kind of obvious. You're not a virgin anymore!" she said.

"What? How do you know?" I asked.

"Dude, you're kind of glowing and…" Tidus trailed.

"You have a sensual sort of charm that wasn't there before. It's very sexy." Naminé finished.

"That's the second time I've heard that! I have no idea what you guys are talking about!" I said.

"It's something that only other people can see. Sorry, dude." Tidus said.

I just shook my head and took the sugar that Tidus handed to me. Oh well… I guess it's something I'll never understand.

I took a bowl from the cabinet and began to cut up strawberries.

When that was finished I turned to see if I could rinse them.

Tidus was standing at the sink watching us work with a smile on his face.

'Tidus, I need you to move.' I said.

Tidus looked at me specifically. "Do you need something?" he asked.

I frowned. It was almost hard to differentiate whether I was talking or thinking to him. Either way, I still heard my voice in my ears.

I growled in agitation.

"Whoa! Did you hear that? It sounded like a dog! Nami you heard it right?" Tidus said.

"Yeah I heard it… strange." Naminé said before returning to her work at the mixer.

"Tidus, can I use the sink?" I asked.

"Yeah sure, sorry about that. I need to go and see if there's customers anyway." Tidus walked to the door.

I shook my head at myself. I wasn't in the forest anymore. People actually have to hear my voice to understand what I'm saying.

It had been maybe thirty minutes when I finally finished the fruit toppings. The cheesecake still had a while to go so I decided to make some biscuits.

I took out the flour and all the other ingredients. Biscuits were easy to make so once they were in the oven, I moved over to pull out the homemade jams and preservatives.

I took the fruit topping and the jam out to the front and opened the cooled portion of the display window.

I placed them inside and smiled. I love fruits…

I looked up when I felt someone standing over me.

Tidus was looking down at me with a very serious look. "Cloud what the _fuck _happened to your shoulder?" he asked.

"Huh?" I asked. "What's wrong with my shoulder?"

Tidus grabbed me by the arm and pulled me up. I yelped in surprise.

"Is that you making those dog noises? What is wrong with you! You're acting really weird." Tidus said.

"Nothing is wrong with me!" I yelled back.

"Cloud! What the hell is this on your shoulder? It looks like an animal took a bite outta you!" Tidus yelled.

I looked over to my shoulder. SHIT! I was wearing a sleeveless shirt! That was really stupid of me. I didn't even think about what Tidus and Nami would say.

Obviously, Tidus was not happy.

"It's ummm… a tattoo…" I mumbled.

"Cloud, you are a terrible liar. Just tell me what happened. Do you need to go to the hospital? Do you like… have rabies?" Tidus asked stupidly.

"NO! I don't have rabies! Don't worry about it, Tidus. It's something you wouldn't understand." I said.

"DO YOU THINK I'M STUPID! SOMETHING I DON'T UNDERSTAND! ARE THE SCARS ON YOUR OTHER SHOULDER SOMETHING I WOULDN'T UNDERSTAND EITHER? Aren't I your friend, Cloud? I'm worried about you!" Tidus lowered his voice.

"What's going on out here?" Naminé asked as she carried to cheesecake to the display window.

"Nami, look at this. And this." Tidus pulled me forward by the arm and pointed to the scars on my shoulders.

"Oh my god! Cloud what happened?" Naminé asked.

"Nothing!" I yelled.

"Cloud… this doesn't look like nothing. Were you attacked or something?" Nami asked.

"No! It's nothing!" I said as my heart was pounding. I felt like a child that had just been caught doing something terrible.

"Cloud, we told you that you shouldn't go running around in that wilderness they call a park. It's obviously dangerous." Tidus said.

"This has nothing to do with that!" I said trying to make up an excuse, a reason, anything!

"Maybe… he's covering up for someone…" Naminé said.

"Cloud? Did Squall do this to you? Is he hurting you?" Tidus asked.

"No! Why are you guys harassing me like this? I'm fine aren't I? I mean… aside from acting a little strange earlier, I haven't changed at all. In fact, I'm happy! So please let this go!" I said, begging them to get off my back.

"I'm sorry Cloud, this isn't something we can just let go. If Squall is hurting you than I need to do a serious reevaluation of his character." Tidus said and Nami nodded.

"Squall hasn't done anything wrong. I-I…" I stopped.

"You what?" Naminé asked.

"Nothing." I said.

"Tell us Cloud!" Tidus yelled.

"Nothing!" I yelped again.

"There's the dog again!" Nami said and looked around.

"No Naminé, Cloud has been making those noises the whole time! That's definitely not normal!"

I winced. I really needed to remember all of the regular noises you would make in these situations. Humans don't growl, or yelp, or whimper… they simply yell, say 'ouch!', or cry.

"You won't understand!" I yelled.

"This again! When did you start keeping secrets from us? It's when you started dating Squall that's when! What happened to bros before hoes!" Tidus yelled.

"Please! Leave Squall out of this! None of this is his fault. I was walking in the forest when it started to storm so I started to run to the house. I tripped and slid into a bear trap. That's it! Squall found me and took care of me. He's kind and gentle. He's never hit me or anything. Please get that idea out of your heads!" I yelled.

"That still doesn't explain the bite mark." Nami pointed.

"I-I… you… I-I c-can't" I struggled to find something to say.

"You can't tell us? What kind of cop out shit is that!" Tidus yelled and grabbed my arms again.

I bit my lip before a yelp could escape. "You're hurting me!" I said trying my hardest not to whine.

"All you have to do is tell us what happened! Just tell us. I promise we won't judge you or Squall! Please! We're worried!" Tidus yelled and Nami nodded.

"… I wanted him to bite me…" I said in the quietest voice I could manage.

"What?" Tidus and Naminé said simultaneously.

"I wanted him to bite me, okay? I wanted to be his and his alone!" I yelled, shaking with fear and anxiety.

"Cloud are you out of your freaking mind? That mark doesn't even look like human teeth! You're boyfriend wears dog-eared hats, you make dog noises, and have doglike bite-marks on your body! Did you join some freakish Dog worshipping cult? Is your boyfriend using you for strange rituals?" Tidus yelled.

"NO! I TOLD YOU THAT YOU WOULDN'T UNDERSTAND! LET ME GO TIDUS! YOUR HURTING ME!" I yelled.

Tidus immediately released his hold after my plea. I rubbed at the red marks on my arm.

"You're right…" Tidus mumbled.

"What?" I asked.

"You were right. I don't understand." He said.

I looked down at my feet.

"I don't understand what happened to my friend. Because the Cloud I knew certainly isn't here anymore." Tidus finished and turned from me.

"TIDUS!" Naminé yelled in surprise.

"We should get back to work. Here's our first customer." Tidus said and plastered on a fake smile.

I moved back into the kitchen and pulled the biscuits from the oven. I turned to find something else to cook.

"Cloud?" Naminé said quietly.

I turned to her. "Yes?"

"Don't take what Tidus said to heart. He's upset because you can't tell him who's hurting you or the real reason behind those scars. You know how he is. He's like a big brother to both of us." Nami said.

I nodded and opened a cabinet… there was salt.

I pulled it out and took out the flour and yeast and baking soda and anything else I could think of.

I grabbed a bowl and filled it with warm water. I poured some ingredients in. When it was dough, I placed it on some wax paper and started to knead it.

"Cloud?" Naminé started.

I looked down at the dough I was rolling around. My eyes started to water.

"Cloud?" Naminé started again.

Suddenly, I pounded my fist into the dough and began to cry. I-It wasn't fair! Why was it so hard to live two separate lives?

"Cloud… I'm sorry… I didn't mean to make you sad…" Naminé said.

I turned from the dough in front of me and sunk to the floor.

"I was happy… I was so happy this morning… why do _I _have to feel like I'm the one at fault? I didn't do anything… why do _I _have to feel like I've done something wrong?" I said while wiping the tears on my face.

Suddenly there was a crash and voices coming from the front.

Nami and I stood suddenly and rushed out of the kitchen.

"WHAT DID YOU DO TO HIM?" I heard Tidus yell.

I looked at all of the shocked customers and turned to see Tidus holding Squall against the wall.

"YOU FREAK! WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT BITE ON HIS SHOULDER?" Tidus yelled and I ran over quickly.

"Tidus! Stop! You're causing a scene!" I said and started to pull him off of Squall.

'Thank you for not hurting him…' I thought to Squall.

_This kid is lucky he's your friend… _

I nodded and managed to pull Tidus off of Squall.

"Tidus… I know you're angry with me… please don't take it out on Squall." I said.

"Why are you defending him?" I yelled.

"Because he hasn't done anything!" I said exasperatedly.

"And why are you here?" Tidus turned to look at Squall.

Squall was silent for a second before speaking. "I had a bad feeling… like something bad was happening so I went to check on Cloud to see if he was alright. He obviously isn't." He said.

Tidus turned and looked at me. I averted my gaze. "We have customers… can we not do this right now?" I asked quietly.

Tidus sighed and moved behind the counter.

"We apologize for the disturbance… if you could please form a line we can quickly get your orders." I said before moving back into the kitchen.

"Cloud… I'll handle the stuff in here. You should try to figure out what to do from here." Naminé said.

I nodded and moved back to the front.

I walked over to the counter and spoke. "Those of you customers who just want to order beverages, please form a line in font of me." I said in a polite voice.

Four customers walked over to me and I took their orders. Two espressos and Two café au laits.

I made their drinks quickly before taking their payments and walking over to the cash register. I placed the money in and gave them correct change before walking from behind the counter.

_I think I understand the situation here, but would you like to explain it to me? _Squall's voice resonated.

I nodded and walked to the front of the bakery farthest away from the customers.

'I kept forgetting that I wasn't in the forest with you guys. So I tried talking to Tidus through my thoughts on accident. When he did respond I got agitated and so naturally, I growled. Which definitely confused them. I apologized because I kind of felt like an idiot. When I moved to bring stuff to the front, Tidus ended up noticing my mark and the bear trap marks on my shoulder. He got really mad because I wouldn't tell them from where I got the scars. They started drawing all these weird conclusions and blaming you. So I tried to divert them to other conclusions but they wouldn't believe me so I told them that I asked you to bite me and that they wouldn't understand why. Tidus got really mad and decided he had had enough. I got really upset and then you came and you know the rest…' I thought to him in a jumbled rant.

_You forgot to tell me about the part where he grabbed you. _Squall said.

'What?' I wondered.

_There are bruises on your arms and his scent is on them. Why did he hurt you?_

'He was frustrated with me and he didn't realize how tightly he was grabbing me. Sometimes he forgets his own strength when he's mad. I forgot about them because I wasn't really all that concerned about them in the first place.' I thought.

_Is there anything else?_

'I just… I don't like lying to them… but what else am I going to do? I was afraid that they would lose their trust in me if I kept lying to them… I mean it's basic nature… if someone is lying to you, you don't trust them anymore. I didn't think hiding things from them would be this hard…' I thought and wiped a tear that fell from my eye.

Squall put a hand to my face and wiped another tear away with his thumb. _Would you feel better if I talked to Xemnas about letting you tell them about us?_

'Squall… that's too dangerous…' I thought.

"You trust them right?" he said aloud.

"W-Well yes but-"

"There's no such thing as trusting someone halfway. Do you believe that they'll reveal us if you were to tell them about our people?" Squall said quietly.

"They wouldn't tell. I trust them." I said firmly.

"Then I'll talk to Xemnas. Don't cry anymore." Squall said.

I nodded before wrapping my arms around him. "Thank you." I said with a whimper.

Squall pulled nuzzled my cheek a little before kissing it. "Don't worry okay?" he said.

I nodded and watched him leave.

I sighed. Things are going to get better now.

I walked back into the kitchen with a smile on my face.


	16. Chapter 16

**The Pack**

**Disclaimer: **Did I mention how much I hate writing these things? I don't own okay!

Chapter 16

Squall

I made my way back to the clearing. The kids were playing and most of the others were dozing in the morning sun.

I scanned the entire clearing and made sure everyone was accounted for. I then listened for any sort of activity outside of the clearing that I should be aware of.

There was none.

I took off my clothes and reverted to wolf form. I walked over to Xemnas with my head lowered.

_Xemnas._

_You wish to speak with me. _He said knowing that was my reason for approaching.

_I have a request. _I said.

_I know… and such a request is one that is difficult to provide a decision._

_I understand. Cloud places his trust in these humans and believes that they will not reveal us. _

_But what if they do? Squall, if our existence were to be revealed, it would jeopardize the safety of not only our pack, but also the packs all over the area. _

_I understand that fact and I will be ready to take responsibility if that were to happen._

_You realize you are vowing to preserve the safety of over a hundred wolves in the area, possibly over thousands of wolves if news of our existence were to spread. _

_Yes. But I will make sure that the knowledge of Loup Garou does not leave the mouths of the three humans._

_I will tell you right now. If you fail to keep this under control, you will be relinquished of your position as Beta and will be exiled from this pack. Others have suffered a more gruesome fate but I do not believe your death would be a wise punishment._

I grunted.

_It is good to know that you place full trust in your mate's judgment. Let us all hope that he is an excellent judge of character._

I nodded and moved to rest by the large boulder in the clearing. Zell trotted up to me and cocked his head to the side in confusion.

I nuzzled the pups face and he moved to rest at my side.

_I wouldn't worry about it Squall. I trust Cloud and if Cloud trusts his friends, then I trust them too._

I looked up to see Zack standing in front of me. I grunted. _I know. _

_And plus, this could be an opportunity for new friends! We like friends remember? _Zack yipped.

_Thank you Zack. _

_For what? _He tilted his head.

_Nothing. _I yipped.

Zack sighed before changing into human form and laying on the ground. "I really want Cloud to come back! I miss him already!" he said aloud.

I grunted and Zell snuggled closer to me. I curled myself around him and let a contented growl rumble gently in my throat.

Zell fell asleep.

"Awww… that was really cute. You make a good daddy." Zack whispered.

I yipped quietly. _Thanks Zack._

_I think Cloud would have enjoyed watching you two snuggle. _Xigbar added with a yip.

"Yeah, then he would snuggle with you. I want to snuggle…" Zack said with a pout.

_Then come over here, stupid. _

"YAY! Snuggles with Xiggy!" Zack exclaimed and ran over to his mate.

I watched silently as Zack wrapped his arms around the large silver and black wolf.

_Zell's going to get bigger soon… by the looks of it I'd say he's almost one. _Xigbar said.

_I think Cloud is going to be really excited about that. He loves kids. _I said.

_I think everyone is excited about it. Sora and Kairi can't wait to see his human form. Zack could barely sleep, you know how excited he gets. _Xigbar continued looking down at his now sleeping mate.

_I really… _I started but trailed off.

_What? _Xigbar asked.

_I really want to teach Zell everything. How to hunt, how to run, how to fight… I hope that one day he might take over my position as second in command. Zell's only a pup right now so you can't really tell if he's really made for it. But it was a dream of mine. To have a kid that might aspire to following my footsteps._

_I think that's a really nice dream. _Riku said as he moved next to me.

I grunted in thanks.

_I think we would all like it if Zell grew up to be like you. _Riku said.

I yipped. _You guys are great. The encouragement is appreciated._

They yipped in reply.

-The Pack-

Cloud

Throughout the day, Tidus and I didn't speak to each other and I tried my best to remain in the kitchen.

Cooking was therapeutic anyway… the smells, the warmth of the oven, the busy work, it all helped when you wanted to get something off your mind for a little while.

"Cloud, those soft pretzels you made are going by fast. I bought one myself and I have to say, they're fantastic!" Naminé said.

I gave her a small smile and continued to stir the pound cake mix. "Thanks…" I said softly.

"This sucks…" Nami said with a sigh. "Having you two fight is so weird. It's just not normal."

"I know…" I said.

Naminé got up and looked out of the kitchen door. "Looks like things are winding down now. Maybe you should finish the pound cake tomorrow…" she said.

I put the bowl down and nodded. "What time is it?" I asked.

"It's almost 5:30. By the looks of it we might close before then."

I nodded again. 'I don't know if you can hear me Squall… but I'm finishing up here soon." I thought.

_I'll be there soon. _Squall's voice sounded in my head. I smiled.

"Cloud are you okay? You were upset a minute ago but you're smiling like an idiot now." Nami said with a giggle.

I shook my head. "I'm okay."

Tidus walked into the kitchen and cleared his throat. "It seems we will be closing early. Be careful on your way home." He said while looking at the wall behind me.

I frowned. "Tidus…"

"Is there something you want to tell me?" he asked.

"Yes, there is." Squall said from behind Tidus.

Tidus jumped ten feet in the air and moved next to Naminé. "WHEN THE HELL DID YOU GET HERE?" he yelled.

"That's irrelevant. Cloud has something to tell you both." He said and I noticed Zell trailing behind him.

"Zell." I said and the pup yipped.

"When did that puppy get in here?" Nami asked.

"He came in with Squall. But… I'm not sure I know how to say this. You guys want to know why I've been acting a little strange and why I have all of these scars, yes?" I asked.

"Yes. Tell me!" Tidus said and Nami nodded.

"You probably wont believe me but to tell you the truth, I've been living in the park with Squall and his friends." I said.

"Why is that hard to believe?" Tidus asked.

"They live in the park because they're Loup Garou, like werewolves." I said.

Tidus said, "WHAT?" the exact same time Naminé said, "I knew it…"

Tidus turned to Naminé. "Nami? Wait, am I the only one who heard wrong? Did Cloud just say something about his boyfriend being a werewolf and living with him in the forest?" Tidus asked.

"That's what I said Tidus." I said.

"Okay, okay… so let me get this straight, he told you that he was a werewolf and you… believed him? Wait no… that's not the question… He told you he was a werewolf and you believed him and then _stayed _with him?" Tidus asked incredulously.

"Well it's hard to deny their existence when they can turn into a wolf right in front of you." I said.

"Oh ho ho! I would like to see that!" Tidus barked.

I looked to Squall who nodded and walked behind the counter.

"What are you doing? Get from back there!" Tidus yelled and flushed when Squall started to take off his clothes.

After a second, a midnight blue wolf hopped onto the counter.

"WHOA! WHAT THE FUCK! WHERE DID THE DOG COME FROM?" Tidus yelled and ran to the front of the shop.

"That's Squall, Tidus. And I wouldn't call him a dog if I were you, you'll make him mad." I said.

"I knew they were real! I saw them once. They were running through the forest! There was a big white one and two little ones!" Naminé said excitedly.

Squall walked over to me and licked my hand. Zell walked over to Naminé and she picked him up.

"Is this one a werewolf too?" Nami asked.

"Yeah, but he's only a baby… they don't have a human form until they're one year old." I explained.

"I can't believe it! This can't be happening." Tidus said staring at Squall.

"Tidus… it is happening and they do exist. I met them one day and they asked me to help them out of traps whenever they got captured. I agreed and eventually I was accepted into their pack. I've lived with them for a week now and they've become a big part of my life. I'm telling you this because I trust you guys." I said.

"That still doesn't explain your scars." Tidus said after taking a breath and sitting in a chair.

"One of the pups, his name is Sora, was frightened by lightening and was almost caught in a bear trap. I saved him but in the process, my shoulder got caught in the trap instead." I said.

"And the bite?" Tidus asked.

"It's a mark stating that I'm Squall's mate. It's kind of like… a wedding ring." I said.

"So you married the dude… only after knowing him for a week?" Tidus asked.

"I know it sounds odd and almost stupid… but I love Squall and I promised to be by his side for life. I love everyone in my pack and I hope you can understand that." I said.

Tidus sighed and rubbed his temples. "So what's happening?" he said.

"Nothing is happening. I was just telling you the truth." I said.

"So he's not whisking you away into the wilderness and never letting you return?" Tidus asked.

"No. I made it very clear that I wasn't abandoning my old life. I love you guys and I wouldn't leave you like that." I said.

"It's going to take me a while to accept this… but as long as he's not hurting you and you're happy." Tidus said.

"This is so cool! This has to be the most eventful day of my entire life!" Naminé squealed.

Squall yipped before walking over to Naminé. She smiled and petted Squall's head with the hand that wasn't holding Zell.

"Thank you so much for at least attempting to understand… I was really afraid that I was going to lose someone today." I said softly.

"C'mon Cloud… I know I said some hurtful things but… I was really upset… you're like the little brother I never had, that won't ever change… that sounded so gay, I think I might go kill myself now…" Tidus said.

"I resent that remark." I said with fake anger.

"Come here Cloud." Tidus said and opened his arms.

I smiled and gave him a hug. "You really shouldn't scare me like that stupid! Show up with scars like that again and I think I might keel over!" Tidus said with a chuckle.

I sighed in relief. "I won't." I said.

"Please don't tell anyone about this. It'll put everyone in danger if you tell." I said.

"When have we ever told any secrets?" Tidus said.

"I wouldn't want to put this little one in danger!" Nami said and giggled when Zell licked her face.

"Thanks guys." I said.

Squall moved back into the kitchen to put his clothes back on and came back dressed and ready to leave.

"I'll see you guys tomorrow." I said with a smile.

"Yeah! I have one question!" Nami said.

"What?" I asked.

"Squall?" She started.

"Yes." He said.

"Could I… pet your ears?"

I laughed when Squall's ears twitched a little.

"They can really move…" Tidus said in amazement.

"We just went over this!" I said.

"I kinda wanna touch them too…" Tidus said and stood.

Squall grumbled a little before walking over.

Tidus had the ear on the left, Naminé had the ear on the right.

"Whoa… they're really soft…" They said together.

I laughed and Squall sat quietly with a sour look on his face.

"I think you guys should leave Squall's ears alone now." I said through my giggles.

They let go and smiled. "I'm glad we cleared up the confusion." Naminé said.

Tidus and Squall nodded.

"Goodbye." Squall said and took my hand.

"Bye guys!" I exclaimed before we left the bakery.

"See ya!" Nami and Tidus said together.

Zell yelped and caught up to us. I smiled at him. 'I think Nami really likes you Zell.' I thought.

"How long are you staying with us until you go home?" Squall asked.

"I can stay till 10:30 but I have to be home by eleven." I said.

Squall let out a whine and nipped my ear. "I don't like it when you leave."

"I really need to go back to the house though… believe it or not, but I think my parents are worried about me." I said.

Squall sighed and we walked quietly back to the clearing. When Zell saw Kairi and Sora playing, he ran to join in.

I pulled Squall over to the less occupied side of the clearing and sat down. Squall sat next to me. I put my head on his shoulder. "I know I told you this already but I love you." I said aloud.

Squall let out a purr-like noise in reply and pulled me into his lap. I smirked before I flicked him in the nose and stood from his lap. Squall let out a small noise of surprise before growling playfully.

I giggled and ran over to the large boulder. Squall slowly followed as if confident that he could catch me without any effort. I frowned. "That game's no fun if you're not into it!" I whined.

Squall smiled before running after me. I yelped before running into the forest.

'You may be a Loup Garou but you're no match for my wit!' I yipped.

_Wanna bet?_

'Yeah! I bet that you wont be able to catch me!' I thought and weaved through the trees.

_What do I win when I catch you?_

'IF you catch me! And you'll just have to try and find out!' I thought and turned sharply without slipping on leaves. The sun was starting to set and it was getting harder to see but I knew this forest pretty well now.

I ran for a few more minutes before looking around, Squall was nowhere in sight. I smiled and continued to run.

When I noticed a large opening in the trunk of a tree I hid inside. Now all I had to do was wait.

I smiled when I caught Squall's glowing eyes in the semi-darkness. I remained quiet and waited for him to find me.

I looked out again and couldn't see him anymore. I frowned and crawled out of the tree trunk.

_Got you. _Squall's voice said behind me and I jumped in fright.

"HOW DO YOU DO THAT?" I yelped.

_When hunting one's prey, one must remain virtually silent. _His voice sounded before he picked me up.

"So what's my prize?" he asked.

"Ummmmm… ever made love in a trunk of a tree?" I asked.

"No."

I laughed. "I'm just kidding! We wouldn't even fit in there!"

_But you are saying that my prize is your body? _He asked.

"Well… I don't really have anything else." I said.

_Then I think I'm going to deflower you on this bed of flowers. _He said.

I looked around and noticed we were in a small field of wildflowers. I smiled. "I'm ready when you are!" I said.

Squall smirked before placing me down on the ground, which was surprisingly softer than I thought it would be.

Squall connected our lips and I immediately wrapped my arms around him. 'I love you.' I thought.

_I love you._

I smiled into the kiss and pulled at Squall's shirt. We parted for a second as I pulled it off. Squall pulled mine off before kissing my neck. I yelped when he nipped my neck.

Squall smirked.

"Didn't we already establish that your teeth are sharp?" I whined.

"Yeah… but you sound so cute when I bite you…" he said in a husky voice by my ear.

I flushed. That was probably the sexiest thing I've ever heard in my life…

"So you like my husky voice, huh?" he asked in my ear and started removing my pants.

"That's not fair! Don't read my thoughts!" I pouted.

Squall just smirked before removing my clothes. I started on his pants and Squall let his hands roam the surface of my body.

"I don't really need to read your thoughts you know… I can tell what you like and where you like it just by using my senses." He said.

I took off the rest of his clothes.

"Okay. Show me." I said in a challenging manner.

"You have no idea what you just got yourself into." Squall said with a smug look.

I growled.

"Let's start from the top and work our way down. You like to be kissed right below your ear and you shiver when I let my hands trace down your spine." He said.

"No I d-don't" I stuttered when he kissed me and I shivered as a finger moved down my spine. "That w-was a l-lucky guess."

Squall didn't tell me what he was going to do next; he just moved closer and kept me guessing in my head.

"Do somethi-Ahhhn" I moaned when his mouth was on my chest. Squall used one hand to fondle a nipple while the other moved down to my hip.

"Sq-Squall…" I moaned softly when a fingernail gently scratched it's way down the trail of hair towards my manhood.

Squall kissed his way downward and stopped just before my heated erection. "You know what you like most?" he asked.

"Wh-what?" I stuttered through my pants.

"This…" He hissed before spreading my legs and licking my inner thigh.

"Ahhhn! T-touch me p-please!" I begged.

I moaned when Squall finally took me into his mouth. I grabbed hold of the grass and flowers around me and almost pulled them from the ground.

"Squall!" I moaned loudly and panted.

He tongued the slit and I writhed under him. One of my hands found its way into Squall's hair and I tugged on his ear.

Squall moaned around me. "AHHHHHH!" I yelled and released.

I blushed when Squall swallowed everything.

"You didn't have to do tha- Wah! What are you doing?" I yelped when he lifted my legs.

Squall kissed down my inner thigh and I shivered but I jumped when his tongue entered me.

"Squall! S-Stop! Th-that's n-not-AHHHHHN! N-no st-stop! That's d-dirty!" I yelled.

In tongue delved deeper inside of me.

I moaned and whined and shivered under him. I wanted to stop him but it was hard to do when intense waves of pleasure were rushing through my body.

He pulled out and replaced his tongue with fingers. I winced at the sting but arched my back when he fingered my pleasure spot.

"M-more! Squall!" I cried as I writhed under him.

Squall pulled me close and I held onto him. When he entered me I shut my eyes and cried out his name.

"H-harder!" I said and arched my back in ecstasy.

Squall grunted and complied with my request. "Cloud…" he moaned.

When I felt myself reaching the edge and pulled him closer. "I-I… I'm g-g-onna…"

Squall nodded and picked up the pace. With one last plunge into me I came. Without thinking, I bit his shoulder and scratched up his back as I road out a huge wave of bliss.

Squall called my name as he came and trembled as I clung to him. When we were done we flopped down onto the grass.

"I… I'm sorry I bit you…" I said.

Squall pulled me to him and placed his face in my neck. "I liked it." He said. "There's nothing wrong with marking your mate anyway." he said.

I smiled before it morphed into a frown. "What time is it?" I asked.

"Time for you to stay with me." Squall said.

"No seriously… " I said before standing. My legs almost buckled but I managed to keep myself up. I grabbed my clothes and put them on.

"Cloud…" Squall said.

I looked around to try and figure out the best way to get home.

_Cloud… it's really late. You probably can't see a thing. Why do you have to go? _Squall's voice said.

'Because my parents might try to get people to look for me if I stay away for too long.' I thought.

"Please stay Cloud." He said and wrapped his arms around me.

"Please don't make this harder for me… I'll be back tomorrow. Can you please take me back to the house?" I asked.

Squall sighed and pulled me along. I could barely see anything but I trusted that Squall would get me back to the city safely.

When I spotted the streetlights I sighed. "I will be back tomorrow. Or you can visit me at work, you can bring the others along too. After that I can come back to the clearing again. You don't have to worry." I said.

Squall gently pulled me into a hug. "I didn't think it would be so painful to be away from you. I know you have a life here that you can't leave… I know you do… I just…wish I could make you stay. Zell is going to change soon and I don't want you to miss it. And it's quiet… I can't believe I liked the quiet before I met you…" Squall ranted.

"Squall…" I trailed. This was the first time I had ever seen him so emotionally vulnerable. "I'll be back! I'll always be back! I swear it!" I said before kissing him goodbye.

I walked across the street to the house. I turned and waved goodbye before opening the door and stepping inside.

I locked the door and turned to see my mother sleeping on the couch, my dad reading a book on the armchair.

"Where the hell have you been?" My father asked quietly.

"You really want to know?" I asked.

He nodded.

"I was with my boyfriend. But I'm going to work and I'm going back to school Monday." I said quietly.

"Are you going to stay with him?" he asked.

"I want to… I really, really want to…but I need to go to school." I said.

"He can't take you to school?" My father asked.

"Well… it's complicated." I said.

"Don't tell me this guy's a hobo." My dad said.

I laughed. "It's kind of like that." I said.

"Are you… staying here?" he asked.

"For now." I said.

A/N: Review.


	17. Chapter 17

**The Pack**

**Disclaimer: **… I have a red headed dog, not a red headed Axel…

Chapter 17

My father looked at me and I smiled. But then I frowned when my stomach let out a very loud growl.

"So your boyfriend isn't feeding you?" my father asked.

"Well I…" I trailed of and sat in the sofa.

"Go get something to eat."

"But-"

"I may have disowned you but I'm not so cruel as to deprive a hungry child of food."

"Thank you." I said and moved to the kitchen. I looked around the fridge and when I spotted some cold pizza I figured I'd just eat that.

"So… if this guy lives far from here, doesn't feed you, and may not even have a home, what is so great about him that you chose to stay?" my father asked.

"Because he really loves me." I said.

"But he doesn't take care of you." My father looked puzzled.

"No… he does take care of me… it's just that sometimes the circumstances force me to fend for myself. And I mean… I've been doing that for a while now so I didn't really think it mattered. The only problem is that I only have five dollars to my name right now." I said.

"What? Why?"

"Well… I paid to free an animal that was being abused… I couldn't just leave it…" I said… it was kind of true in a way.

"Where's the animal now?" he asked.

"With Squall." I said.

"The boyfriend."

"Yes." I answered.

"Does he feed the animal… I don't see how this can be any different from it's previous arrangement." My father asked.

"Can you just accept the answer 'It's complicated?'" I asked.

"Okay… but I don't have any pluses for this boyfriend of yours… so far I've really only heard bad things." He said.

"Well… he's really sweet, he may look a little mean on the outside… he's just a big softie. Well, at least when it comes to me and the gang." I said.

"So he's a gangster?" my dad asked.

I laughed. "No, not at all. He lives with his friends. Being with them makes me feel like I do have a family. They have this whole system and they accepted me into it. And I have to say, we make a peculiar family!" I said with a giggle.

"Interesting." My father replied.

"Squall is really protective of everyone, he can also be a little possessive. But he really just wants me to be safe and happy. And he's taught me a lot about treasuring your surroundings… and about knowing who your friends are and remaining loyal to them. My life wasn't going anywhere and it was starting to take its toll on me… but he and the family made life so much easier to live with you know… I'm not alone anymore. I wake up everyday and realize I have something to look forward to. And when the day is over I know I have a warm place to return to." I said with a smile.

"Well… if you're happy…" My father said.

"Yes. I'm very happy." I said.

"Can you do us a favor though?" he asked.

"Ummm, yeah." I said.

"When you leave… can you tell us whether or not you are coming back?" he asked.

I nodded. "I'm glad we could have a talk like this." I said.

He nodded. "Go to sleep." He said and stood.

"You're gonna leave mom on the couch?" I asked.

"She gets vicious when I try to move her while she's sleeping."

I smiled. "Goodnight."

"You too."

When I got into my room I plopped onto the bed. It still wasn't firm enough. I sighed and moved to the floor again.

But after twenty minutes, I still couldn't even feel my eyelids droop. I looked to the clock next to my bed.

It was 1:42 in the morning.

I sighed again and moved to the bed. If I couldn't go to sleep at all, I might as well relax on something soft.

It was at about 2:13 that I started hearing scratching of some sort at the front door. I didn't know what it was but I was curious.

I let it continue for a few more minutes but shot up quickly when I heard a whine.

That had to be Zell.

I ran to the front door and threw it open.

Zell was shivering on the front porch. I frowned before scooping him up.

He was burning up.

"Zell… what's happening to you?" I asked quietly with a little panic in my voice. The little white pup whined and continued to shiver in my arms.

What could I do? I've never had to take care of a sick baby werewolf before! Zell came all the way to the house thinking I could help him… but I didn't know what to do!

I moved back to my room quickly and almost jumped when I saw Squall at my window.

I placed Zell gently on my bed before opening my window to let Squall in.

'Squall, what's happening to Zell?' I wondered feeling helpless.

Squall moved into the room and pulled me into an embrace. "Calm down, every thing is fine." He said in a whisper.

"What's going on?" my voice shook a little as I looked at the small pup curled up in pain.

_Zell is going through the first stage of getting a human form. It's called the probing stage._

'Why?' I asked.

_Zell's body is taking inventory of itself. Just to make sure that every part of his body is accounted for before changing._

'So it's like when a person checks their luggage before they go on a big trip, to make sure they have every thing?' I wondered.

_That's a sufficient comparison. _

'But why is he hurting? Why is he feverish?'

_It takes a lot of energy and makes him vulnerable to outside contaminates… but this stage is not one that should cause concern._

'You mean there's something worse than this?' I wondered with a wave of worry crashing over me.

_Unfortunately, yes. In the final stage of the process… there have been quite a few cases where the pup dies from the pain… but if we monitor Zell from the beginning, we'll be prepared when the time comes._

'Zell…' I thought and worried at my lip. 'What do we do?' I asked.

_We wait… the first stage is going to end soon. The next stage will take about a half an hour and then the third stage will begin._

'What happens in the second stage?' I asked.

_Shedding… he looses all his hair except on his ears and tail. _

'Does it hurt him?' I wondered.

_No… in fact, he needs to sleep through that stage… he needs the energy. The final stage might not take him if he has enough energy. I need you to be here during the final stage. It'll probably affect you too._

'What's going to happen to me?' I asked.

_If anything happens to you… you'll have a fever, nausea, muscle pain, loss of energy… _

'So I'll have the flu…' I said.

Squall nodded.

'I should call in sick from work then?'

Squall grunted.

'Why do you think that I'll get sick?'

_Don't be offended… but usually the mother is affected during the transforming period. If you can endure the effects, so can Zell._

I sighed… I had already accepted the fact that I was the mother figure in this family… 'So you're unsure it will affect me because I'm not really his biological mother?'

Squall grunted again.

'Then I hope it affects me…' I thought.

Squall tilted his head in confusion.

'Think about it… if it doesn't affect me then that means it's affecting his real mother somewhere else… his mother and father abandoned him! That mother wouldn't provide any support for Zell at all. She doesn't want him. If it affects me than that means that I can take over as his… mother… and make sure he's safe. I refuse to put my son's life in someone else's hands… especially someone I despise for deserting their own kind.' I thought.

_I'm really happy you think that way Cloud._

'We found him and freed him… he's our pup and no one else's.' I thought with a frown.

Squall yipped quietly before licked the side of my face. I smiled and nuzzled his cheek before looking over to Zell…

He was starting to shed. I got up and moved over to the bed. I pet his back and noticed that he wasn't feverish anymore.

'Thank goodness…' I thought and looked at my hand. It had hair sticking to it. I walked over to my trashcan and wiped the hair into it.

'He's really shedding…' I thought before yawning and sitting next to Squall again.

_You should rest as well. I'll keep an eye on Zell. Go to sleep. _Squall's voice rang in my head.

I leaned on his shoulder but sat up again for a second. 'Squall, I know you're not going to like this but you need to put on that baseball cap in my closet. If my parents come in here and see that you have a dog-eared hat, they'll probably ask you to take it off. If you wear the cap it'll seem more normal.' I thought.

Squall let out a small growl before getting up and walking over to my closet. Squall let his ears lay flat on his head before placing the cap on his head.

I smiled. 'You look cute.' I thought with a yip.

Squall growled again before moving back to his spot on the floor. _Wolves aren't cute._

I yawned and leaned on his shoulder again before drifting off again.

-The Pack-

I woke up feeling very disoriented and hot.

"Squall…" I whimpered.

_I'm right here… the final stage has begun. _

'What's happening to Zell?' I thought and managed to sit up and look over to the bed.

Zell was squirming on the bed, his body contorting in different directions.

'Oh my god…' I thought and felt my stomach lurch. I got up quickly and to the bathroom.

I managed to make it to the toilet in time, I wretched and coughed over the toilet bowl.

_Zell will be like that for while. Can you tell me where the pillows and bedding is?_

'It's all in the closet right outside my room… what time is it?' I thought with another wretch.

_5:45_

After a couple of minutes, Squall came into the bathroom. I was still vomiting up the food I had eaten.

'What was the bedding for?' I wondered.

_I placed it on the floor next to the bed so if he fell off the bed he wouldn't hurt himself. I needed to make sure you were okay._

'So every mother goes through this?' I wondered as I lurched again.

_Every mother that lives past childbirth… usually the pups whose mothers die are the ones that don't make it. _

I frowned before vomiting again. I felt Squall's cold hands on my back and I shivered.

"Cloud? Who are you and what are you doing in my house?" I jumped when I heard my mother's voice.

"This is my boyfriend Squall and he's taking care of me because, as you can see, I'm sick." I got out quickly before lurching.

My mother sent Squall a glare before leaving the room.

'Squall what about Zell?' I wondered with panic.

_They wont go in there._

'Why do you act so sure?' I asked.

_I marked the room._

"What?" I asked aloud.

_My scent is all over the room. Humans can't really smell it but it still works against them._

'What does it do?' I asked.

_Have you ever walked up to a door and felt a sense of foreboding, like you just shouldn't go in there?_

I nodded before wincing at the pain in my head.

_Do you ever go into the room?_

'No.' I thought.

_That's probably because some Loup Garou had marked it._

'That's really fascinating…' I thought before coughing.

I dry heaved for about ten minutes before wiping my mouth on some tissue paper and catching my breath against the tub.

I moved to stand but couldn't find the strength to get up. Squall lifted me onto my feet and walked me to the sink.

I rinsed my mouth with shaking hands. When that was done, Squall picked me up and carried me to my room. He placed me on the pillows next to the bed. I watched as he left the room.

Zell was still jerking wildly

He had two sets of ears now, human and wolf.

I smiled before panting, I was really hot and it was hard for me to handle. My eyes started to water and I started to sweat.

This was not easy.

I looked to see Squall coming back into the room holding what looked like crackers and ginger ale.

"You're mother gave me these to give to you… and she's right. You need to eat." He said out loud.

I nodded and tried to grab the drink but Squall shook his head._ You can't hold it steady._

I looked at him with a frown.

Squall tilted my head back and poured the soda into my mouth. After a few gulps, he opened the pack of crackers and placed them in front of me. _This you can handle, yes?_

I grunted softly and moved to pick up a cracker. As I ate, I watched Squall moved over to Zell. His jerks started to slow into trembles and twitches. I watched in amazement as the pup changed into a small child before my eyes.

'Zell…' I thought as I ate.

_Now his insides have to rearrange themselves for the first time. This will hurt you more than it does him… _

'When will it start?' I asked.

_I'd worry less about that and more about eating and drinking right now._

I nodded and continued to eat. 'I need to call in sick now…' I thought.

Squall nodded and took my phone out of a pair of jeans on the floor. How did he-

_I smelled it._

Right…

He pressed a few buttons before putting the phone up to his ear. "Tidus. This is Squall." He said.

There was a pause.

"I have his phone because he is sick and can't hold the phone steady." Pause, "yes… yes… he wants to talk to you Cloud" he said and held the phone to my ear.

"Tidus?" I said.

"_Are you okay? What happened? You were completely fine yesterday." _He asked.

"I have symptoms of the flu… I could give you the long explanation later…" I said, my voice shaking as I spoke.

"_Don't leave anything out when you tell me okay? Take care of yourself."_ Tidus said.

"Y-" I stopped talking when a wave of fear suddenly washed over me and my chest started to burn.

"_Cloud? Cloud?"_ Squall took the phone back.

"We will call you back." I heard Squall say before I put a hand to my chest. I looked to Zell who was sleeping with a scowl on his face.

'I'm guessing this is it?' I asked.

Squall grunted and I closed my eyes and tried to relax the fear in my heart. Squall pulled me close and I trembled against him.

"I'm afraid." I said.

Squall ran his hands through my hair.

I felt my body tense and I felt as if someone was pulling my stomach in different directions.

I opened my mouth as if to scream but all that was released was a whine and a sob. It was so painful I had trouble catching my breath.

I gasped as I felt a hard tug on my stomach. I began to sob. "It hurts! It hurts!"

There was a push on my stomach upwards and I felt as if someone was scratching at my lungs. I was finding it hard to breath. I grabbed tightly to Squall and he said words of comfort into my ear.

The burning sensation in my heart returned as I felt a throbbing in my neck and a searing pain in my lower abdomen.

"Squall! When is this going to stop?" I whimpered through tears. I had never been in so much pain in my life and I didn't know what to do.

Squall laid me down on the pillows and took my hand. _Endure for just a little while longer. _

I had to endure four more hours of excruciating pain before the transformation was finally over. The final hour was by far the worst.

My head was spinning and throbbing and burning up all at the same time. When it was all over I had passed out.

I awoke to Zell's growls. I sat up in my bed to see Zell playing tug-o-war with Squall.

I smiled. "I'm glad he's okay." I said aloud and laid back on the mattress.

"I'm glad you are okay as well." Squall let go of whatever Zell was pulling on and the little pup fell back.

Zell growled as if to say, _Why the heck would you do that?_

I laughed and watched as Squall put his hands on my face and kissed me. I cringed and pulled away. "Don't… I probably taste horrible." I said.

_I eat dead animals, what's a little vomit going to do? _Squall smirked.

I grimaced. "That's disgusting."

Squall yipped and nuzzled my face. _Thank you… you did a great job._

'Anything for my family.' I thought.

Zell jumped on the bed and I pet his head. 'How are you feeling?' I wondered.

Zell switched to human form and smiled. His eyes were still different in color, he had blond hair and his small white wolf ears and tail wagged or twitched as he giggled.

He was the most beautiful boy I had ever seen in the entire world.

Zell put his arms around me and I held him tightly. "You are so cute!" I said.

"Clow…" Zell said in his little baby voice.

I couldn't help myself. I showed the little boy with kisses and he giggled.

"He needs clothes…" Squall said.

'Hold on a sec…' I thought and I put Zell down on the floor. I got up and walked out of my room.

I looked up and the attic door. I pulled the string down and pulled down the stairs. I would do this quickly so my mother wouldn't notice.

I looked around and spotted a box that said, 'Kid stuff.' I opened it and smiled when I found a small shirt and a pair of overalls.

Adorable!

I pulled a small pair of tennis shoes and a hat. This would be perfect.

I moved down the stairs and pushed everything back to how it was. I walked back into my room with a smile on my face.

'Zell you have to put on clothes now so I can take you outside.' I thought to him.

Zell smiled and walked over to me, he seemed to have no trouble doing so. It was a little hard to believe that he was a one-year-old. He looked more like he was two or three.

_We grow faster. _Squall answered.

I handed him his clothes and he put them on. I knew he could do it because he had seen the others do it all of the time.

I plopped the hat on his head and smiled.

Zell smiled. "Clow… Swall!" He said.

I looked to Squall and he scooped Zell up. Zell squealed and giggled. "Swall! Swall!"

"It's Cloud and Squall, Zell!" Squall said with a small laugh and he opened the window to leave.

We left to head back to the clearing, happy smiles on all of our faces.


	18. Chapter 18

**The Pack**

**Disclaimer: **Disclaimed!

Sorry for the shortness.

Chapter 18

Squall and I walked down the street. Zell would point to something and I would tell him what it was. He would repeat it with a laugh or a giggle.

"Clow, what's that!" he asked and pointed to the truck driving towards us.

"It's a truck." I said.

"Twuck!" He yipped.

"I'm pretty sure there's an R in there…" Squall said with a chuckle.

"But he can make a K sound which means he can say your name right. Zell, what's your dad's name?" I asked.

"Swall!" he exclaimed.

"You sure? I think his name is Squall. Can you say it correctly?" I asked.

"S… Squall?" he asked.

"Yes! That's perfect! Your father's name is?"

"Squall!" he said from on top of Squall's shoulders.

We entered the forest and after forty-five minutes of pointing and naming, we entered the clearing.

Squall put Zell down and Zell immediately removed his clothes. I laughed at that.

"ZELL!" Sora and Kairi yipped.

"Sowa and Kaiwi!" he yipped and was about to run off with them when Squall grabbed him by the tail.

"You are not playing with anyone until those R's are fixed." Squall said before turning into a wolf.

Zell whined and turned into a pup. Squall picked him up by the scruff of the neck.

_Zell is so cute Cloud! I'm so happy! _I heard Zack's voice exclaim.

'Thanks, Zack. I guess Zell has a speech lesson before he can greet everyone.' I thought in reply.

_Got it. We'll be waiting. _Riku's voice sounded.

I nodded and moved to the boulder where Squall and Zell were sitting. I sat next to them and smiled.

_Say 'growl' _Squall said.

"Gwowl." Zell said.

_No… there's an r noise… rrrrrrrrr! _Squall said.

Zell sat looking puzzled.

Squall growled in agitation. Zell yelped and started to whine.

"Squall! You can't just expect him to get it right on the first try. And you can't get mad at him either." I said and ran my hand through Zell's blonde hair.

Zell looked up at me. I kneeled so that I could be at his level. "Squall just wants you to make an R sound, and he's upset because he knows you can do it. So let's try again." I said.

Zell wagged his tail. "Okay." He said.

"Say grrrrowl!" I said emphasizing the R.

"Gwowl…" Zell said.

"Okay… let's try it a different way. You see Xigbar over there?" I asked.

"Yeah…" Zell said.

"Well when I first met him, I thought he was a bear. Can you say bear?" I asked.

"Beaw!" he said.

"Do you know the sound a bear makes?" I asked.

Zell shook his head.

"RAAAAAAAAWRRRR!" I exclaimed and Zell squealed.

"RAAAAAAWRRRRR!" I said again and pretended to be a bear. "Zell come be my baby bear!" I said. "Say it with me!"

We took a deep breath together. "RAAAAAAAAAAAAWRRRRRRRRRR!" We exclaimed.

"Yes! That was it Zell! You made the R noise!" I said.

"Raaaawr!" Zell said to me.

"Say RRRRRIKU!" I roared.

"Rrrrrriku!" He copied.

I smiled. "Perfect! Now say Sorrra and Kairrri!" I said as if still growling like a bear.

"Sorrrra and Kairrri!" he growled in reply.

"Great job Zell! Sora and Kairi." I said.

"Sora and Kairi! Xigbar! Riku!" he said.

"YES! I'm so proud of you!" I yipped and pulled Zell to me.

Zell giggled and wrapped his small arms around me.

"Zell, go say growl to Squall." I whispered in his ear.

Zell walked over to Squall, who was laying next to the boulder watching Zell and I.

Zell walked over to Squall with a blush and said. "Grrrrrowl…"

Squall lifted his head and yipped. _Good job, Zell. _His voice rang before licking the side of Zell's face.

Zell yipped before turning into a puppy once more. Zell licked his father's snout before running off to play with Sora and Kairi.

I could feel the blush he would have had in his face on my own. I smirked at Squall.

_Don't give me that look. _Squall's voice said.

I yipped. 'You should be more gentle…' I suggested.

_No._

I looked at him. 'Why not?'

_He's not a human child. He can't be coddled so much. _

'You know I hate it when you say things like that. I get it, he's Loup Garou, but he's still a kid. And kids like to be praised by their parents. It's not about coddling or sheltering. It's about showing your son that you love him and that you're proud of him.' I thought and turned away from him to watch the kids play.

There was a growl from behind me then a cold nose on my cheek. _I didn't mean it like that. I'm sorry._

'So you'll listen to what I say?' I wondered.

_No._

I growled.

_Look, I'm not being defiant. It's my job as his father to teach him to be what he is. And in order to do that, he needs tough skin and the ability to stand on his own. _

I sighed before nodding.

_Squall is only telling you the truth about Loup Garou upbringing. Loup Garou must learn to think fast, run fast, attack first, be fearless, rely on others, but at the same time rely on one's self. All of these things cannot be learned if he becomes too soft. _Xemnas' voice rang.

I nodded again. 'I know… I just… forget it. I understand.' I thought and stood.

I started to walk towards Zack and Xigbar when the back of my jeans was tugged lightly. I turned to see Squall tugging on the back pocket of my jeans. He looked up at me.

_Don't be upset._

'Got it.' I said and waited for his teeth to relinquish my jean pocket.

Squall growled in agitation before letting go. I continued to move to the other side of the clearing and sat next to Zack.

_You okay? _Zack's voice asked.

'Yeah, I just need a second.' I thought back to him.

_You know, Squall is really happy about being a dad. _Xigbar said.

'I know he is…' I thought before looking at the kids playing. Demyx joined in the game the kids were playing and I smiled at them.

_The little tyke looks happy and healthy. Seems like you and Squall did a good job. _Axel's voice rang.

I nodded. "Yeah…" I said aloud.

_I assume his changing affected you? _Zexion's voice said and I looked to see him and Xion approaching us.

'Yep… all that pain and stress was worth it though.' I thought and looked back at the kids. Demyx was trying to get Riku to play the game but Riku swiftly declined.

I chuckled at the scene before moving towards the kids. 'You guys need another player?' I asked.

"Cloud! You'll play?" Demyx asked as his ears twitched in excitement.

I nodded. "What are we playing?" I asked.

"We're playing 'Catch the Cloud!'" he said and took a step towards me.

"What kind of game is that?" I asked.

"This one! ATTACK!" Demyx yelled and they all ran towards me.

I smiled before I set off running. I ran around the clearing, the kids closing in on my heels.

"I'm coming over to you, Riku." I yelled.

_Please don't. _He replied.

'Too late!' I thought and started to move towards him.

_Cloud! No! Go back! _Riku said but I continued to advance.

Riku stood with his hackles rising on his back and a snarl on his face. I quickly stepped on the brakes only for four other bodies to throw me forward and on top of Riku.

'SORRY!' I thought before quickly getting off of Riku.

_It's fine… I only realized after you started flying towards me that snarling only has an affect on you. The other four would have continued to run towards me. _Riku's voice said.

I chuckled. "Yeah that's true." I sat up and sighed before dusting off my clothes and looking to the kids.

"I guess I lost, huh?" I asked.

Sora, Kairi, and Zell ran towards me and somehow managed to fit themselves on my lap.

"You lost… but it's okay, it's only a game!" Sora said.

"Yeah, don't be sad." Kairi said looking up at me with puppy-dog eyes.

"I'm okay." I said and smiled at them.

"Clow… Cloud is sad. Mommy is sad." Zell said and I looked at him.

That was the first time Zell had called me by that title.

"I'm okay." I said again and petted Zell's blond hair.

"Mommy is sad. I can smell it." Zell said again. This time he looked at me with a huff.

I sighed. 'I'm only a little sad.' I thought to them.

"Cloud?" Sora and Kairi asked.

"Hm?" I hummed.

"C-can we call you mommy too?" They asked their ears flat on their heads.

"What's with this mommy thing all of a sudden?" I asked.

"Well Zell said that Cloud had taught him how to make the R sound, and Kairi and I wondered why he called you Cloud when you're his mom." Sora explained.

"Cloud is my mom." Zell said and snuggled against my chest.

I smiled. "I am your mom." I looked at Sora and Kairi. "I can't replace your real moms, but I always liked the thought of being a new mom for all three of you." I said.

I laughed when all three of their faces lit up with delight and their tails started to wag.

"You three are too cute!" I said and patted their heads.

"THANKS MOMMY!" They beamed at me.

I hugged them and then let them go play. I stood and looked over to Xemnas who was looking to his left. I moved towards him with a puzzled face.

'Is something wrong?' I asked.

_Squall and I heard something to the left of us. He moved to check it out. It sounds like a group of dogs. _

'Well that's good, at least it's not people.' I thought.

_No… dogs are far worse than people. _Xemnas said.

I frowned. 'Why?'

_Dogs may not be as destructive as people but they can work for people and are more efficient at tracking us down. And that can lead to disaster. _Riku supplied.

I frowned. 'Are we going to be okay?' I asked, now worried.

_We're going to be fine. _Squall's voice said from behind me.

_What was it? _Riku asked.

_A pair of strays. They ran at the sight of me._

I sighed in relief. 'Good.' I thought.

Squall approached me before changing into human form and embracing me. "Did you want to take Zell to the bakery?" he asked.

I smiled. "Yeah. You want to go now?" I asked.

_It's up to you. _His voice rang in my head.

'Let's go then!' I thought with a yip. 'Zell.' I thought and looked to the three pups.

Zell stopped suddenly and looked at me. _Yes?_

'We're going to go see Tidus and Nami at the bakery. Are you coming?' I thought to him.

Zell's tail wagged. _Oh yes! Naminé smells like flowers… I like her!_

I yipped and retrieved Zell's clothes. 'You have to put these on first.' I thought and Zell ran towards me.

Zell shifted into his human form and took the clothes from me. As he was changing I went over to Kairi and Sora.

'We'll be back later. I would take you along as well but that would be too dangerous. Don't torture Riku too much while I'm gone okay?' I thought.

Sora smiled. _We won't. And we know we're not allowed outside of the forest. _

_It's been a rule since forever. _Kairi added.

'You two are going to be great leaders someday, I can tell.' I said and patted their heads.

Sora and Kairi yipped before attacking my face with kisses. I yelped in surprise before yipping along with them.

"I'm ready." Zell said and stood as if striking a pose.

I yipped again. "You're one goofy pup." I said.

Zell gave me a toothy grin before running towards me and taking my hand. "Let's go!" Zell said but yelped when a hand swatted lightly at his head.

"Forgetting someone?" Squall said and took my hand that Zell had relinquished in order to rub his head.

"Squall!" Zell said and grabbed his free hand with a smile.

I watched quietly as Squall's larger hand enveloped Zell's tiny one.

-The Pack-

Squall's POV

We had been walking for about twenty minutes when an idea popped into my head.

_Zell. _I thought to my son while keeping my thoughts out of Cloud's head.

_What? _He asked.

_I challenge you to a race._

_A race? Okay._

_The first one to the city wins, you have to stay in this form and you can't loose your hat. If you do, you're disqualified. _I explained.

_Okay! Can't mommy play? _Zell asked.

_No, he would beat you if he was racing. _I said.

_No he wouldn't mommy's not as fast as me. _Zell said.

I smirked. _Wanna bet?_

_I'm gonna win this race even if mommy was playing. _Zell said confidently.

I grunted. _We'll see about that. On the count of three, watch out for traps as you run. One…_

_I wanna count it! _Zell whined.

I growled. _Fine, brat._

_One… _he started. _Two… THREE!_

He and I set off through the forest, I wouldn't go easy on him. He needed to learn to be quick and versatile.

"H-hey! Wait! Why are you running?" I heard Cloud yell before the sound of his fast moving footsteps followed behind me.

I turned the corner quickly and listened to the people behind me. Zell wasn't far behind and Cloud was catching up fast. I yipped.

_You hear those footsteps, that's your mother catching up to you! You better high-tail it! _

I weaved through the trees hoping that Zell would follow my moves. He was a quick learner and that made me proud. We were almost neck and neck now and Cloud was right on our heels.

I saw the gate signifying the edge of the park and picked up my speed. Only to growl when Zell managed to get past me.

I moved even faster and got ahead again, and I smiled when Cloud managed to get ahead of Zell.

And that's how it ended… me first, Cloud second, and Zell at a close third.

_I warned you. _I thought to Zell.

Suddenly out of nowhere… Zell burst into tears and started to sob. _That's not fair! I'm small! _He whined.

_A loss is a loss Zell… stop crying right now. _I told him firmly.

With a few hiccups Zell started to dry his eyes and take deep breaths to calm down.

I watched as Cloud picked Zell up from the ground and looked him in the eyes. "You know what you are supposed to do in this situation?" he asked aloud.

"W-what?" Zell hiccupped.

"You supposed to practice so that you can beat us next time. You don't have to be bigger to get faster. And for a second, you were ahead of both of us… do you remember that?" he asked.

Zell nodded.

"I thought you looked like a little speed demon zooming through the woods. And the way you moved through those trees? Totally cool!" Cloud exclaimed.

"That's because I'm the coolest!" Zell said with a grin.

I growled and whacked him in the head. "Try saying that when you actually win the race, pup."

Cloud giggled and put Zell back down. He took my hand and Zell's hand with the other and we made our way towards the bakery.

A/N: REVIEW!


	19. Chapter 19

**The Pack**

**Disclaimer: **I DON'T OWN KH CHARACTERS! It makes me want to cry!

I have to say, AkuRokuStalker, I LOVE YOU! Your reviews make me smile! This one's for you!

Chapter 19

When we finally got to the bakery, Zell was fidgeting with excitement. Suddenly, Zell ripped himself from the hands he was holding and zoomed towards the bakery.

"Zell, come back! And slow down before you bump into-" There was a splattering sound as someone's coffee fell to the floor. "Someone." I finished.

I heard Squall growl under his breath and Zell stiffened at the sound.

"Zell! What did Cloud just say?" Squall asked.

"He said to slow down before I bump into someone." Zell replied nervously.

"And what did you do?" Squall continued.

"I kept running and then I bumped into someone." Zell said sounding guilty.

"Apologize to the man right now!" Squall snapped. Zell looked at the man he had bumped into and said in a very quiet voice, "I'm very sorry."

The man patted Zell on the head and said, "It's quite alright, son."

_Zell, go to the table over there and sit quietly. _Squall thought.

I walked over to the man and apologized again. "My son gets very excited and can't help himself. I will personally get you another half-caff coffee." I added.

The man looked a little surprised, probably because I'm sixteen and I have a kid. "You must work here." He said. I nodded and moved behind the counter. When I heard the kitchen door open, I turned to see Tidus covered in flour.

"I thought you said you had the flu?" Tidus said incredulously.

"I had symptoms of the flu, but I didn't exactly have it. I'll explain it once I get this nice man a cup of coffee." I said with a smile.

The man walked over to the counter. "Your son is very well spoken for such a youngster. I was very surprised. He doesn't look any older than four." He said.

"Thank you very much, sir. He learns very quickly." I said, feeling my chest swell up with pride at the complement. "Here's your coffee, sir. Please come again." I added. He nodded, taking his coffee before leaving.

"Explain, right now. When the fuck did you get a kid?" Tidus asked looking completely puzzled.

"Can you get Naminé out of the kitchen first?" I'm sure she wants to know as well." I said.

Tidus nodded and moved to the back. About a second later, Naminé comes out of the room looking excited.

"What are you so happy about?" I asked.

She shrugged. "I just had a really good feeling about what you are about to tell us. Call it women's intuition." She said.

I nodded and pointed over to Zell who was sitting quietly. Squall was watching him so I assumed it was some sort of time out for being reckless. "You see that little boy over there? That's Zell and he's always been my kid. Ever since Squall and I saved him from the pet store." I said.

"What? I thought Zell was a little white puppy!" Tidus said. He seemed to be having trouble wrapping his head around the concept of Loup Garou.

"He is, but he got his human form this morning. And when a baby Loup Garou gets his or her human form, the mother get's affected as well." I explained.

"And it affected you?" Tidus asked.

"Yes." I said.

Tidus and Naminé suddenly burst out laughing. Naminé was leaning over the table in hysterics and Tidus was holding his stomach as he laughed.

"And what is so funny?" I asked.

"Dude, even nature itself knows you are a mother living inside of a man's body! Oh man, that's hilarious!" Tidus laughed out.

"We're not laughing at you. We just find the circumstance to be highly amusing." Naminé said after her moment of hysterical laughter. "So you're okay now?" she asked.

"Yep. And when I tell you the pain was unbearable… I had never been in so much pain in my entire life. But it really was worth it. Because now Zell is a healthy, growing Loup Garou." I said.

"Can he come over here? I really want to see him up close." Naminé asked.

"Squall?" I asked. He looked to Zell, _behave, _he thought. Zell nodded and moved over to me slowly. His head was down and his overall demeanor looked dejected.

"Zell, didn't you want to come and see Naminé? She wants to play with you." I said to him when he finally got to me.

Zell didn't say a word. He lifted his arms up and tugged on my shirt. He wanted me to pick him up. I lifted him and he immediately wrapped him arms around me. He then hid his face in my neck. I frowned when I heard him whimper quietly.

"Is he okay?" Tidus asked.

I nodded. "He's just upset because he got scolded by his dad." I said.

"And that's Squall?" Naminé asked.

"Yeah. Zell, you wouldn't have gotten scolded if you had listened to me in the first place." I said and rubbed his back. I could feel his tears on my shoulder.

"Aww, come on Zell. You're a big boy right?" I asked.

Zell nodded, his face was still hiding in my neck. I placed him on top of the counter and he tried to stay latched to me. I gently pulled him off.

I looked at his faced and it was flushed. His eyes were still watery so I took a napkin and wiped his face. "If you're a big boy, then why are you crying? Big boy's don't cry?" I said.

Zell immediately wiped away all of his tears and took a deep breath.

"There we go, that's my big boy! You know, there's a lot to learn about this situation. You wanna give me an example?" I asked.

"Listen to Mommy?" Zell asked.

I nodded. "Mmmhmm, what else?" I asked.

"Don't run inside." He said.

"Yeah, and if there's one thing I learned about running, it's to always watch where you're going!" I said and kissed him on the cheek before giving him a raspberry.

Zell laughed and pushed me away. "Is there anything else?" I asked.

"Squall is mean." Zell said.

There was a pang in my chest, but it wasn't my own.

It was Squall's.

There was a moment of silence where I didn't know what to say. I blinked a couple of times quickly before I spoke. "That's not true. You shouldn't say things like that." I said in a serious tone.

Zell looked down and I put my hand on his hat. "Naminé still wants to play with you. We'll talk about this later." I placed him back on the floor and he walked over to Naminé.

"Hi Naminé!" he said in a cheerier voice. "You smell like flowers!" Zell added and hugged her leg.

"I do?" Naminé picked up Zell and he giggled.

"Yes and you're pretty like Mommy!" he said and I laughed.

"You have to compare me to a girl, Zell?" I asked.

Naminé and Zell giggled. "Yes!" They said together.

I shook my head at them and started to move towards the kitchen. Tidus stopped me on the way there.

"Everything is in the oven. The croissants come out in twenty minutes, the other stuff comes out later because Naminé didn't want to wait for the frozen fruit to thaw!" Tidus accused.

"I did it for a reason you jerk! The pastries taste better when you cook them longer with the frozen fruit. Don't listen to Tidus, he's a noob." Naminé said in her defense. I laughed at their bickering and moved back to my previous spot near the counter.

"What's a noob?" Zell asked with a puzzled face.

"It just means a person who doesn't know a lot about something because he or she are new at it." I answered.

"Well, thanks guys… I've definitely worked here longer than both of you so you two can shut up now." Tidus said.

"Tidus isn't a noob, he smells like sugar." Zell outstretched his hands towards Tidus. Naminé handed Zell over and Tidus took him… but he held him at a distance.

"My son isn't a parasite!" I said with a scoff. I wasn't really mad with Tidus because I knew he hated kids, but still…

Tidus reluctantly brought Zell closer to him and I laughed when Zell hugged himself closer. "I like you. You're funny!" Zell said with a giggle.

"What makes me so funny?" Tidus asked. Zell was really enjoying himself, I could see his tail wagging through his overalls.

"You act like you don't like me, but you really think I'm cute. I can sense it!" Zell said.

Naminé and I laughed at Tidus' flustered face. Leave it to my son Zell to rip Tidus to pieces. Tidus was never really all that good at expressing 'unmanly' feelings. But Zell wasn't going to let him get away with keeping them hidden.

"Now you're embarrassed. The blood is rushing to your face and your heart rate is quickening." Zell said.

Naminé and I laughed some more. "Could you not expose my personal feelings like that?" Tidus asked Zell with an unpleasant look.

Zell looked down seemingly feeling guilty. "I'm sorry." He said in a sad voice.

"Tidus, that was mean! You should be apologizing to Zell! He was only being honest, unlike yourself." Naminé said.

"Alright, alright! I'm sorry, kid. Just don't do that anymore." Tidus said.

Zell smiled. "Okay!" he said and licked the side of Tidus' face. "You taste like sugar too!" Zell finished.

Tidus handed Zell back to me with a frown. "You can have him back now."

"He just gave you a kiss and you're rejecting him? That's cruel." I said with a laugh. "You know, in Loup Garou culture a lick on the face is the purest declaration of love." I said, stifling my giggles.

Tidus sputtered for a second before I took Zell from him and set him on the ground. Zell moved back over to Naminé and looked up at us as we talked.

"I don't think that would work out seeing as I'm eighteen and he's like four." Tidus said.

"Actually, he's only one." I said with a smirk.

"Well, he looks like a four year old." Tidus said.

"By the way, how old are you Squall?" I asked.

"The same age as you, sixteen." Squall answered.

Tidus, Naminé, and I all dropped our jaws at his answer. "You're kidding ri- no… you wouldn't joke about that. You definitely look older than that." I said.

"We grow much quicker than humans. We're old enough to rear children at age ten." Squall said. "We also stop aging at twenty, so whatever we look like at age twenty will be what we look like when we die." He added.

"Damn, I wish that could happen to me…" I said. "That's so strange that you are actually my age. You certainly don't act like a sixteen year old male. But I don't care about that anyway. It's just surprising." I said.

Squall just nodded and looked out of the window. 'Are you okay?' I wondered.

_Yes, I'm fine. _He replied before adding. _I'm just listening._

I nodded and looked to the door. Customers were approaching. I looked down at Zell. "Zell, why don't you go back over to your Dad. Mommy has to go back to work." I said.

Zell whined and shook his head. "I don't wanna." He said.

"Zell, I don't have time for this. Go now." I said firmly. Zell finally got the message and stomped over to the back table. I could see that Squall was getting a little aggravated with Zell. And to honest, what he had said earlier was irking me.

I moved to the kitchen and removed the croissants out of the oven. The other things would need another ten minutes. I placed the parties in a nice basket and moved to the front to put them in the display window.

"I would like a coffee and… one of those." A lady said and pointed to the basket I had in my hands.

I smiled. "Be careful when I give it to you. It's coming straight from the oven." I said and put it in a back for her. I handed her the back and she took it carefully. "Thank you." She said.

"You're welcome, please come again." I said and I waited for Tidus to take another person's order. Naminé was wiping the tables clean when I heard the next order.

It was a simple chai tea so I moved to fill a cup with hit water and place the tea bag in it. I placed the top on the cup and handed it to the customer. She thanks me and I nodded.

"Mommy! Can I have one too?" Zell asked from across the room. Rather loudly.

Some of the customers looked over to Naminé with questionable looks. I sighed.

_Zell._ Squall thought and Zell immediately quieted, looking guilty again.

"Zell, I need you to be quiet okay? Mommy's working right now." I said.

ALL of the customers gave me a weird looks. I shrugged them off and continued working.

_I don't like the way they just looked at you. Can I kill them?" _Squall asked.

'Sorry, love. You know the rules. No killing the humans.' I thought as I continued to work.

When I finished the espresso someone had ordered. I looked to find the man leaving the bakery. I ran out of the door to catch him. "Sir! You forgot your coffee." I said.

"I don't take coffee from freaks. Get away from me." He said harshly.

I frowned. Damn… that hurt. I blinked before shaking it off. I took a sip of the espresso and smiled. "Nice doing business with ya!" I said before going back into the bakery.

I could feel Squall's anger radiating from him. I smiled. "I'm okay. Don't worry about it."

Zell started whining. "Mommy's sad again!" he cried tears coming to his eyes.

_Zell for the last time, stop it! _Squall snapped.

Zell wiped his eyes and sat quietly. I moved behind the counter and finished with everyone's orders. Some decided to stay and others left with their purchases in hand. I sighed and moved back over to Zell. He looked really upset.

I picked him up and moved to the back. I placed him on the kitchen counter and starter crying again. "Mommy is sad and Squall is mean!" he sobbed.

"It makes me sad that you think that your dad is mean. It even makes your dad sad." I explained.

"But he always sn-snaps at me!" he added.

"That's because when you are with humans, you have to be really careful about what you say and do." I explained. "He's only making sure that you're safe."

"But he doesn't like me and he never lets me cry." Zell said.

"That's not true. You're father loves you more than anything. But it's his duty as your father to rear you as what you really are. You are Loup Garou and that means you have to be tough and strong. You have to be able to hunt and run and protect. It's the coolest thing ever. But you can't become a well rounded Loup Garou if you're crying all the time. And it's not only your father that wants you to be who you are, I want it too." I said.

"Well if being Loup Garou means being cruel like Squall, then I don't want to be one!" Zell yelped.

There was a crashing sense of pain that enveloped my heart at that moment. I knew Squall was really upset by that statement.

And so was I.

"Don't you ever say that again. Do you hear me?" I said in an asserted tone. I was actually mad at Zell for such an irresponsible and selfish statement. "You are going to sit at the table with your dad QUIETLY until my shift is over. I don't want to hear a peep out of you, got it?" I said angrily.

Zell seemed surprised by my sudden anger but then realized what he had said. He knew it was bad and so he silently got off the counter and moved out of the kitchen.

I sighed and leaned against the counter. I couldn't feel bad about scolding Zell. He needed to know how terrible his words were. I covered my face but turned quickly when the door opened again.

"Mommy?" Zell said in the quietest voice.

"Yes, Zell?" I asked, irritated.

"I'm sorry…" he said,

"Do you understand, Zell? I don't think you do yet." I said.

"Mommy?" he said again.

"What?" I asked.

"Squall… dad isn't at the back table anymore. He left." Zell said.

I covered my face again. "Alright." I said. "Stay by me okay?" I said.

Zell nodded.

I hope your okay Squall… I thought mostly to myself.

A/N: Hopefully that wasn't too evil! REVIEW!


	20. Chapter 20

**The Pack**

**Disclaimer: **I don't own…

Chapter 20

The rest of the workday was rather uneventful and quiet. I was worried about Squall so I didn't talk much.

I think Zell could sense that now wasn't a time to misbehave. Zell would grab the back of my pant leg and follow me wherever I went quietly. He stood quietly behind me and tried not to get in the way.

I was thankful for that.

Tidus and Naminé decided they would work quietly as well. There was only a slow trickling of customers here and there. Some customers sat at the tables chatting or eating.

When the customers stopped coming for the day, I sat in a chair and thought about how I could get Zell to realize how amazing it is to be a Loup Garou. It wasn't something he could throw away so easily. But there really wasn't much I could do… seeing as I wasn't Loup Garou and couldn't demonstrate fully what it meant.

I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. I didn't know what to do.

I looked over to Zell when I heard him whine. "I'm sorry…" he said again. He looked so guilty.

"I know you are, baby… Sometimes, words can be really painful and it's very important that you think about what your about to say before you say it. I think you really hurt your dad today." I said.

"I d-didn't mean to… I j-just don't like it when he snaps at m-me." Zell said, his eyes tearing up.

"I know you didn't mean to… but you are going to have to have tougher skin than that. Your father isn't being mean. He's just trying to make sure that you don't make the same mistakes by disciplining you when you make them. There are meaner things that could happen to you, especially around humans… you may not like the idea of being Loup Garou, but being a human is worse." I said.

"What do you mean? …you're the greatest! And Tidus and Naminé are fun." Zell said.

"That may be true son, but there are terrible people out there that say and do mean things for reason that aren't really justifiable. Like today for example, someone said something to me today, and it really hurt mommy's feelings. I didn't even know the person; the person didn't know me either. But that didn't stop him from calling me names or giving me looks." I said.

"Why?" Zell asked.

"Because people don't seem to understand the world the way Loup Garou do. When I'm in the clearing with you and Squall and everyone. I know that I don't have to worry about getting hurt or be afraid of being myself. Because everyone is accepting and they know that the world is filled with different things with different purposes and meanings. And that's the kind of understanding I want you to have too." I said.

"Are you still sad about what that man said?" Zell asked with a concerned look in his eyes.

"Nope… not at all. Because I have you and your dad to always make me feel better." I said.

"I love you, mommy." Zell said and nuzzled his face against my cheek. I smiled and held him close to me. "I love you too Zell." I said suddenly feeling a warm sensation in my heart.

-The Pack-

Squall's POV (while Cloud and Zell are in the Bakery)

"_Well if being Loup Garou means being cruel like Squall, then I don't want to be one!" _

Zell's voice rang inside my head as I rested on top of the highest building I could find. I never would of thought that I could be so affected by one little sentence.

I felt my hair whip across my face as the wind gusted past me. I looked at the say and wondered how I could get Zell to change his mind about Loup Garou. It was so much easier when he was still just a pup without a human form. Because then he couldn't escape from what he was.

But now he had the ability to blend in amongst the humans and that worried me. The pup was experiencing human culture so quickly… but Loup Garou culture was something that needed to be introduced slowly and carefully. Zell wouldn't be able to learn to hunt until another whole year.

I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. I didn't know what to do.

I took a few steps back before I set off running again. It was always easier to think as I moved. I jumped from the building I was on to the other one about 20 feet below it. I took a breath as the wind blew around me.

I continued to jump between buildings before I finally jumped to the ground. When I felt a worrying in my chest I frowned.

Cloud was worried about me.

I stopped running and thought about Cloud. I was happy that Cloud seemed to understand how important it was to be Loup Garou. I knew that Cloud would help me get Zell to understand this as well… and that gave me some comfort.

I only wanted what was best for my son. Zell was only a little pup, he didn't really know how sad it would make me to hear that he didn't want to be who he was.

I took a breath and sent a warm feeling to Cloud. Maybe he would be comforted by it and know that I would be okay.

I loved him so much.

I started running again, luckily there wasn't many people outside and I could move rather freely about the streets. I didn't exactly want to go back to the clearing without Zell and Cloud.

Hopefully, by the time Cloud's shift was over I could take Zell running with me. Maybe if he learned to enjoy the things that I did about being a Loup Garou… he would feel more willing to give it a chance.

That was something that I would have to find out about later.

-The Pack-

Cloud's POV

"Hey, Cloud. Nami and I decided we would close up early since today was so slow. You can head home if you want." Tidus said.

I smiled. "You guys don't need any help closing up?" I asked.

"Nah! We got this covered. We'll see you next weekend okay?" Naminé said with a smile.

I nodded and looked to Zell. "You ready to go back?" I asked.

"Yeah… I want to apologize to dad… I'm not really sure if I understand everything… but I know what I said was uncalled for…" he finished.

I nodded. "I'm glad you've come to that conclusion. We'll figure out all of this later. Let's just get you home first." I said.

We left the bakery and it wasn't long before we got to the park. I hoped that when I got to the clearing, I could have a talk with Squall about what we should do. Maybe even ask Xemnas about it too. He would probably offer some good advice.

When I walked next to a familiar set of trees, I smiled. "Zell… you know those trees over there?" I started before pointing to where it all began.

Zell looked at them and nodded. "Yeah… they're special right?" Zell asked.

I nodded. "Yes, they are very special. That little place over there holds the beginning to so many things. It's probably where our pack began, where Sora and Kairi were born, and where I first met your dad. It holds a place in all of our hearts and I hope it can reach your heart too." I said with a smile.

Zell looked at me… his eyes held an emotion I couldn't place. But after a second he nodded and smiled too. "I hope so too." He said.

When we passed the trees I paused. I had a strange feeling of being followed. I pulled Zell closer to me and listened cautiously as we walked.

"Is something wrong?" Zell asked, seeming to notice my slightly guarded demeanor.

"Maybe…" I said quietly and continued to walk.

After about two minutes I paused. This feeling was really bothering me. I looked over to Zell.

"Do you smell anything baby, hear anything, is there anything following us?" I asked hoping that this would alarm Zell.

Zell sniffed the air and shook his head. "I don't smell anything too out of the ordinary. I smell other animals, trees, leaves, dirt… those types of things." Zell said. "I hear the animals moving and sniffing and breathing and stuff." Zell added.

I just nodded and hoped that my feeling was just paranoia. I pulled Zell even closer to me and continued on.

But then I heard a rustle, then another. "Zell?" I asked to see if he could identify what was rustling around us.

"What ever they are, they're kinda weird smelling. They kinda smell like me but not exactly. They don't smell threatening and they're just sniffing around." Zell said.

I frowned. "Something that is like you but isn't really Loup Garou would be a dog or a wolf and I know there aren't any wolves around here." I said. "Let's just ignore them and be on our way okay?" I told Zell and pulled him along.

I was almost past the bush when I heard a growl. My heart started to beat faster, but I continued to walk. I made sure to keep an eye on Zell as I moved.

Then one finally revealed itself. It was a Doberman and it did not look like a stray dog.

It was tracking us down.

'Zell, does this dog still smell like it doesn't want to hurt us?' I thought to him.

_Cloud, I'm more worried about the one behind us. _Zell thought back to me and looked slowly to see another Doberman with a snarl on its face.

'I know that we're not supposed to run from dogs… but I'm not sure what else to do. They were tracking us from the beginning I think.' I thought to him.

_We should run to the clearing, wouldn't that be our safest bet? _Zell offered.

'We absolutely cannot do that…' I thought and pulled Zell closer to me and away from the dogs that were starting to narrow in on us.

_Why not? _Zell asked.

'They were tracking us down… which means they were most likely trying to track all of the Loup Garou here. If we lead them to the clearing, we'll be goners.' I thought and took a deep breath.

'Zell, on three, we're going to run east until we get to the city… got it? Do NOT fall behind me.' I thought to Zell.

He nodded slowly.

One… two… THREE! Zell and I sprinted off towards the east side of the city. The dogs barked and began their pursuit.

I was happy when Zell actually managed to take off his clothes and change into a wolf. I knew he would be able to move faster on four legs.

'Zell run back to the Bakery okay? Don't stop until you get there, I know Tidus and Nami haven't finished closing.' I thought to him and he began to gain more distance from me.

_What about you? Aren't you coming with me? _He asked.

'I have to fend these dogs off… I'll be okay, I promise.' I thought to him.

The dogs were gaining on me and I had to think of something quick. When I spotted a certain tree I made a quick turn and slid into the hollow trunk. I grabbed the thick stick behind me and whacked the head of the dog that had managed to squeeze part of it's body into the whole.

It yelped and retracted for a second.

"Mommy!" I heard Zell yell and I froze with fear. I looked out the whole for a spit second to see Zell running back towards me.

"NO! ZELL GO BACK!" I yelled at him but he continued to approach. The Dobermans lifted their heads and looked at Zell.

They began to move towards him. I scrambled out of the trunk and pulled the stick out with me. I ran after them.

I whacked one as hard as I could with the stick to slow it down. I managed to hit the other one to get ahead of them. I dove for Zell. I could feel myself slide across the leaves as I covered Zell with my body. I prayed to some higher being that I could keep Zell safe.

I heard the dogs barking and their feet approaching… only one thing left my mouth.

"S-SQUALL!" I screamed as loud as I could.

I waited for a bite… some sort of pain to befall me. But only a voice rang in my ear.

_Go back inside that tree trunk! _Squalls voice rang in my ears. I looked up to see him fending off the Dobermans. I picked Zell up and ran into the trunk.

'Squall… those dogs belong to someone, if you kill them someone is going to look for them. I wouldn't bite it either… that would be evidence.' I thought to him.

_I understand. _He said. I watched in awe as he turned back into a human and stood at the ready.

A Doberman lunged for him and he grabbed it by the snout. He pulled it away from Zell and I. With a punch to the head, it was out.

"Squall the one behind you!" I shouted as I saw it move to attack him.

It bit his arm and I cried out in pain for him. Squall grabbed the dog's neck with his other hand and pulled it to the ground. The dog yelped and let go of Squall's arm. With a growl, Squall knocked the dog out the same way he did with the first.

All was quiet, except for the sound of our heavy breathing. I crawled out of the trunk and turned to Zell. He was watching Squall, unblinkingly.

I pulled his tail softly and he yelped. 'Let's go home.' I thought to him.

Zell moved from inside the tree trunk and looked to Squall again. I walked over to Squall. He looked at me. "Are you okay?" he asked.

I nodded and wrapped my arms tightly around him. 'I'm so happy you're here…' I thought to him. I was so relieved now that he was here.

"You two head back to the clearing. I'm going to get these dogs back to the city." He said.

"What about your arm?" I asked, concerned by the dripping blood.

"I can just lick it closed." He said as if it were no big deal. I sighed and pressed my forehead to his for a few seconds before turning to Zell.

"C'mon, we have a lot to talk about." I said and Zell's ears drooped.

When we got to the clearing, everyone surrounded us with questions.

"Are you okay?"

"What happened?"

"I smelled dogs, what happened?"

"Where are they now?"

"Did they bite you?"

"Where's Squall?"

"Okay!" I yelped trying to quiet the voices bombarding my ears.

They settled down.

"We're okay… a couple of dogs attacked us. They didn't bite me or Zell. Squall went to bring them back to the city." I said… I was still a little shaken up and I was having trouble calming down with all of the commotion.

"We were just really worried…" Zack said with a pout.

"I know, I'm sorry. I just… need to sit down. I'm actually not okay… I lied. I don't know… " I rambled before sitting against the boulder in the clearing.

Zell trotted over to me with a sad look in his eyes. I pulled Zell into a hug and he licked my face. I hugged him tighter.

The others seemed to understand that I was having a hard time and sat quietly.

I put Zell down and patted his head. "Thank you." I said.

I couldn't really seem to wrap my head around the fact that I was okay… that Zell was okay. My mind just kept thinking up the worst things that could have happened. I just really wanted Squall to come back.

Squall entered the clearing and I stood. I felt my eyes starting to water as he moved towards me. When his arms were finally around me, I broke down. He held me tighter as the sobs racked through my body. I trembled and shook as I clung to him. It felt as though all of the fear that I had pushed back in order to think clearly just hit me like a rock.

_Shhhh, you're safe now. Zell's safe now. We're all okay. Calm down. _His voice was a gentle ring in my head. He started to sway me back and forth and rub my back as I cried.

I think the others were surprised by how affected I was by the incident. They didn't make a sound.

_I want to thank you, for calling me. When I first sensed that something was wrong, I wasn't sure where you were. But the minute I heard your voice I could find you. You did a fine job of protecting Zell. I'm very, very proud of you. _Squall told me softly.

I nodded and took some deep breaths. I felt another warm feeling in my chest and I looked to Squall.

He was sending me comfort. I hugged him again before licking his face. He gave me a small smile before nuzzling my face. I smiled and yipped.

I looked to Zell who was tugging on my pant leg. I picked him up and looked at him. "I think we need to have a family discussion." I said.

Zell looked at Squall. "I-I'm sorry, Dad… I didn't mean what I said. You were only looking out for me. I'm tired of being helpless… and if being Loup Garou will make me stronger than I won't run away from who I am anymore. If being Loup Garou will make me more like you… then I'll work as hard as I can for it." Zell said looking Squall dead in the eye.

"I'm very happy to hear that. I only want what's best for you." Squall said and took Zell from my arms.

Zell licked the other side of his face and said, "You're awesome!"

Squall turned a little red and the rest of the pack laughed.

We looked to each other and smiled. I was really happy that we finally got everything worked out.

Squall put Zell down and he went to play with Sora and Kairi.

I looked at Squall and he looked at me. There was a mutual feeling of desire in our eyes. I followed him out of the clearing and he took my hand.

And didn't even care that I had school tomorrow.

A/N: YAY! LEMON NEXT CHAPTER! REVIEW!


	21. Chapter 21

**The Pack **

**Disclaimer: ** I don't own…

Chapter 21

With a smirk, I pulled my hand from Squall's and set off running into the forest. I weaved myself through the trees and looked for nice spot.

_You always run from me before I take you down. _I heard Squall's voice in my ears.

I continued to run as I chuckled inwardly. 'Because I know you like the chase.' I thought to him when I spotted the lake. I started to remove my clothes as I got closer.

I could hear Squall gaining on me from behind so I turned and splashed some of the water at him.

I laughed as Squall sputtered to a halt. I submerged myself under the water and swam away.

I yelp and squirmed to the surface when I felt a hand grab my ankle. I wiped the water from my face as I felt Squall pulling me closer. I wrapped my arms round him.

His touches were making my skin burn. I wanted him so badly. I pressed myself closer to him. I wanted him to feel how hot I was.

Squall put his face in my neck and I shivered when I felt the vibrations of his heated growl run down my spine. He began to plant gentle kisses on my neck.

As much as I liked the kisses, it really wasn't what I needed at the moment. I growled and pulled away from him.

Squall grabbed my arm and looked at me. I started to move out of the water, pulling Squall along. When we were finally out of the water I turned to him. I wasn't sure how I could tell him what I wanted.

I felt Squall tug me forward and he pressed his forward with mine. I felt a something flow through me for a second. Squall was feeling my emotions. I looked him in the eyes.

'Do you understand now?' I wondered to him.

"Loud and clear." Squall's voice was husky against my ear. He pushed me down on the grass.

I could feel my heart beating quickly in my chest. Squall eyed me up and down, his eyes glowing with passion.

I whined. "Squall, hurry."

Squall crashed his lips against mine in a hungry kiss. I pulled Squall on top of me and tugged on his hair.

Squall growled and bit my neck. I moaned and pulled him closer. Squall licked the blood that started to run from the bite. I gasped and shivered.

"M-more…" I trailed off as he started to bite me in other places before licking them closed again.

Squall pulled me up and onto his lap. I cried out in pleasure as I felt his claws running up my back.

I ran my hands through his hair as I nipped and lapped at his neck. I could feel his quiet moans deep in his throat.

"S-squall…" I moaned. I wanted more. I pushed him down against the grass. I started to kiss and bite down his body.

"Cloud…" he moaned quietly.

Without any hesitation, I aligned his heat with my entrance and went down on him. I gasped and whined at the pain but I could feel my heart thump and my body tremble in pleasure.

"Ahh! C-Cloud, you're so t-tight!" Squall moaned loudly.

I smirked before I started to grind on him. When I finally found the right spot. I picked up the pace.

"Squall! AHHN! You f-feel so good." I yelled as I continued to ride him.

Squall took my hips to guide myself down easier. He lifted his hips to meet me every time I came down.

I was really feeling it. I leaned over him as I rocked against him. I whined and moaned when he hit my prostate again.

"Squall…Squall… S-squall…" I moaned over and over between pants.

"Cloud… I-I'm close…" Squall moaned before sitting up so that he could thrust even deeper inside me.

I wrapped my arms around him. "M-me t-too." I gasped out.

Squall grabbed my hips and pulled me up before pulling me back down against him.

I screamed his name as I came. Squall pushed me down against the grass and thrusted a few more times before coming inside of me with a loud moan.

I kept seeing white. I think I was going in and out of consciousness due to immense pleasure.

Squall pressed his head to mine and I moaned at all of the sensations he was feeling.

"I love you…" he said quietly into my ear.

'I love you too.' I thought in reply. My mind was still reeling and my chest still heaving from my orgasm. I was having trouble forming thoughts. 'I'm so grateful to have you with me… I can't… I c-can't…"

I passed out.

-The Pack-

I was really warm when I finally woke up. I moved to stand only to hiss and move back down to the ground.

Squall lifted his head and looked at me. _You're finally awake. I was surprised when you passed out._

'It's fine… I think it was just a sensory overload but it was worth it.' I thought to him. 'but I don't think I'll be able to walk for a while… what time is it?' I added.

_Around nine. _Squall's voice rang.

'I don't have to go back home yet.' I thought.

_Do you want to go back to the clearing? I'll carry you. _Squall asked.

'We've been through this… it injures my pride when you carry me!' I yelped.

_Cloud… come on! _Squall huffed.

'Only if you actually let me go home at a decent hour.' I thought to him.

Squall grumbled and grunted before lifting me.

I kissed his cheek and smiled at him. 'Thank you.' I thought to him.

When we got back to the clearing Zack whistled. _You guys were gone for a while… that must have been some hot lovin'! _

I blushed at the statement but yipped when Xigbar, yet again, bonked his mate on the head.

_As a matter a fact, it was. Cloud even passed out afterwards. _Squall boasted.

"SQUALL!" I yelped and pushed myself out of his arms in anger only to hiss and put my hands at my lower back. I glared at Squall. 'Why would you say that!' I yelped again.

_I just wanted to see how you would react. And I must say, your reactions to my spontaneity are quite amusing. _Squall yipped.

I growled at his and limped, with difficulty, over to the boulder.

Zell ran up to me with a frown. _Did dad hurt you?_

I shook my head and smiled. 'Nope Mommy's just fine. I just hurt my butt.'

Zell cocked his head to the left. _What happened? _He asked.

'Don't worry about that. Have you been playing with Sora and Kairi while I was gone?' I asked.

_Yeah! And I beat Kairi in a wrestling match! _Zell boasted.

'Oh really?' I thought. I wouldn't have expected that.

_I went easy on him. _Kairi said in her defense.

'You're not supposed to go easy on him! You should always use all of your strength. How is Zell going to get stronger if you go easy on him all the time?' I wandered.

_I didn't think about it that way… Zell let's have another match. I won't go easy on you this time. _Kairi yipped.

Zell yipped before pouncing. I watched them wrestle for a little while before I noticed Sora pouting on the other side of the clearing. I stood slowly and made my way over to Sora.

'What's with that face?' I asked.

Sora gave me the most miserable puppy-dog eyes I had ever seen in my entire sixteen years of existence.

_ZELL STOLE MY FUTURE MATE! I WANT KAIRI BACK! _Sora whimpered.

'Awe Sora, they're only wrestling. Kairi wouldn't abandon you, she just wants to help Zell get stronger.' I said and scooped Sora up and onto my lap.

_But she said she didn't want to wrestle me anymore! _Sora said.

'It's probably because she always loses to you. Kairi most likely just wants to be in a wrestling match where she can win.' I explained.

_Then why would she let Zell win? _Sora asked with a whine.

'She didn't want Zell to feel the way she did when she wrestles with you. You'd be amazed at how even a little hope can make someone stronger. Sora, have you ever lost a wrestling match?' I asked.

He shook his head.

'Then you definitely don't understand what it's like to feel hopeless.' I said.

_Hopeless?_

'When someone is hopeless, they give up and stop trying. I think in Kairi's case, she feels like she can't wrestle you until she gets stronger. So she's using Zell as her sparring partner until she feels strong enough to beat you.' I explained.

_Why didn't she just tell me that? _

'If I were in her shoes, I would probably be too embarrassed. She has her pride as a wolf to protect you know.' I said.

_I still don't like it when she ignores me… _Sora growled.

'Just give her a little space. She loves you, you know.' I said.

Sora pouted some more but nodded slowly.

_MOMMY! I BEAT KAIRI FAIR AND SQUARE! _I heard Zell yipping from across the clearing.

I put Sora down and motioned for him to follow.

I slowly moved back over to Zell and Kairi. I pet Zell on the head and congratulated him.

_Now all I have to do is get strong enough to beat Sora. _Zell said.

I nodded and looked over to Kairi.

I frowned.

She was sitting on the ground in a stupor, her eyes welling with water. _I-I lost… _

I moved over to Kairi and picked her up from the ground. I held her close.

She started to sob. "I W-WAS REALLY TRYING H-HARD TH-THAT TIME AND I-I STILL L-LOST! I-I'll n-never win against the b-boys!" She cried.

"Shhh, that's not true. You just haven't found the right game to challenge them in. Don't cry. Nothing is over until the fat lady sings." I said.

"What does that mean?" Kairi asked in complete confusion.

I laughed. 'It's a figure of speech; it just means that there is still time to win. So don't give up okay?' I thought to her.

"Okay." She said with a sniffle.

'Don't tell anyone, I never win when I wrestle Squall… but I have the upper hand still.' I said making sure to block Squall from my mind. 'You have the upper hand too.' I thought.

_How? _She asked.

'I'm his mate. And you're going to be Sora's.' I said.

_What does that do?_

'We're their only weaknesses. Sora completely falls to pieces when you're not with him. We have our mates wrapped around our pinky fingers and that's how we win in the end.' I smirked.

_Wow… I never would have thought about that. _Kairi thought with a smile.

'You have to be careful with that piece of information though, if you use it too much they'll catch on and then it won't work anymore.' I said.

Kairi snickered. _So I win the love game? _She asked.

'You're a smart girl.' I said with a laugh before putting her down.

_Are you okay, Kairi? _Sora asked.

Kairi pounced and pinned Sora to the ground before licking his face. _I win._ She said with a giggle.

_Whoa… _Sora said with a blush.

I laughed before making my way over to Squall. 'I think it's about time I headed back to the house.' I thought.

Squall just remained still.

I chuckled; he was actually pretending to be asleep.

'Well, I guess I just have to limp all the way back by myself. And I actually felt like being carried too.' I thought and started to slowly move out of the clearing.

3… 2… 1…

I laughed when Squall scooped me up from behind. _Why can't you just stay?_ _The fake sleeping was supposed to make you give up on the idea going back. _

'As much as I love sleeping next to you, I have to go to school tomorrow. Though I'll probably be limping all day tomorrow thanks to you.' I thought.

_I believe it was you that wanted to be a little rough… you were really into it too. You should ride me more oft-_

'Please stop… Things that happen in moments, should stay in those particular moments only.' I thought to him with a big red blush on my face.

Squall smiled and put his face against mine before letting out a purr-like noise.

'You know, I could say I love you too… but I don't think I will, you've been particularly mischievous lately.' I said.

I laughed when Squall let out a noise that sounded like a growl and a whine at the same time.

_Cloud… say it._

'Nope.' I teased.

Squall whimpered. _Please._

When we finally reached the gate bordering the city, Squall put me down with a grumpy look on his face.

I pulled him to me by the front of his shirt and covered my mouth with his. I wrapped my arms around him and deepened the kiss.

When we parted, I licked his face with a smile. 'I win.' I thought.

Squall gave me a puzzled look and I laughed.

I turned and walked back to the house.

A/N: I know it's been a long time, but REVIEW!


	22. Chapter 22

**The Pack**

**Disclaimer: **If I owned Kingdom Hearts there would already be a Yaoi anime series featuring all of the male characters. So no, I don't own them.

Chapter 22

I opened the door to the house and was met with sound of my mother humming as she worked in the kitchen.

Something I haven't heard in a while. I entered the kitchen slowly. "Hey, how are you?" I asked.

My mother jumped a little before turning to me. "When did you get here?" she asked.

"Like five seconds ago. I have to go to school tomorrow so Squall walked me to the house earlier than usual." I said.

"Cloud… I just want you to know… Your father and I… we know we abandoned you when you probably needed it most but we never stopped loving you… no matter how much I might have wanted to erase all ties at the beginning… I never could and I never will. I love you son and though I can't be forgiven for what I've done to you, I just want you to know that." My mother said with tears in her eyes.

I stood there with my eyes wide open. I couldn't believe that those words had been spoken. I blinked a few times before looking her dead in the eyes. "I… I love you too…" I said in a very soft voice. I took a step towards her but stopped afraid that I might get ahead of myself.

But when I felt my mothers arms wrap around me I pulled her into the tightest embrace I could manage. "M-mom…" I managed to say with the huge lump in my throat. My mother kissed me on the cheek and continued to hold me.

I had forgotten the feeling… the feeling of having parents and being held by them. I sighed and just basked in the feeling.

"If you ever need anything… anything at all… I want to be there for you again." She said into my ear.

I smiled and pulled away from her. "Thanks Mom. I'll keep that in mind. I should head to bed though. I really needed that week off. I feel like a new person." I said.

Mom smiled and nodded. "You even look different… happier, I mean." She said

"Goodnight." I said and moved out of the kitchen.

"Cloud?" she asked.

"Yes?" I looked to my mother again.

"Did you hurt your leg? You're limping really badly." She pointed.

I blushed. "Uhhh… no I, uhhh… actually yeah, I hurt my leg…" I mumbled before limping quickly into my bedroom.

I covered my face in embarrassment. After finally being accepted into my family again, my mother notices the aftermath of my passionate buttsex with Squall…

With a small chuckle, I moved into my bed and fell asleep with no trouble at all.

-The Pack-

The next morning I woke up early and got ready for school. When all that was done I headed towards the front door to begin my walk to school.

"Cloud." I head my father's voice behind me.

"Yes, sir?" I asked.

"Breakfast?" he asked,

I looked at him in surprise. "Um… sure." I said.

My father pointed to the kitchen. "Help yourself to what's there." He said with a small smile.

"Thank you." I said and moved into the kitchen. I made some toast and moved towards the door once more. "I'll see you later, Dad." I said.

"Don't stay out too late… or just call us if you are." He said.

I nodded before setting out towards school while munching on my toast. Though school would be as boring as it's always been. I was excited to go and see if maybe I could look at it with a new perspective. Anything could happen.

Most of the day was just like any other day. But I did notice some things that I never really appreciated before. Like the view outside from the third floor window or the class clown's jokes. But there was one thing that was going to happen today that I was really, really cool.

My biology class was taking a field trip to the National Zoo. Evidently we would have to write a paper on the differences between captive and wild species.

All of my peers and I boarded the bus, some chatting amicably with others. But I entered the bus quietly and found a nice window seat in the back. I was about to doze off when the teacher began to speak.

"Okay, you are all juniors and seniors in high school. You all should know how fieldtrips work. Find someone you are relatively comfortable with and stick with him or her until the end of the trip. Buddy system, you know the drill." She said.

I ignored what she was saying. Unless someone approached me to be my buddy, I would rather just be by myself.

"Excuse me, Cloud? Do you have a _buddy_?" A male voice said from next to me. He stressed the word buddy in a sarcastic way as if he was exasperated and didn't really think it was necessary.

I looked to my right to see a tall light brown haired boy. "No." I said.

"Well now you do." The dude said.

"I don't mean to sound like a dick but, who are you?" I asked really wanting to know what my new buddy's name was.

"I'm John. I know your name already. You're pretty popular among the student body around here." He said with a smile.

"Really?" I asked highly skeptical.

"Yeah, you're the really hot blond dude with no friends." John said as if he was talking about weather.

I nodded. "Thanks for letting me know that I'm at least acknowledged." I said in a completely sarcastic voice.

"Just being honest." John said.

"I have friends by the way, they just don't go here." I said in my defense.

"I believe you." He said.

"So what animal are you going to focus on?" John asked.

"Wolves." I said quietly as the bus started to move toward our destination.

"Cool, cool. I think I'm going to focus on the black panther. They're pretty cool." John said in a contemplative voice.

I nodded and sighed before looking out the window.

_Are you okay? _I jumped when I suddenly heard Squall voice in my head.

'Yeah I'm fine. I'm just a little bored. I can't help but feel as if I don't need any more friends so I'm blocking out this poor guy next to me. I feel kind of bad though.' I thought to him.

_I miss you… like crazy. _

'I miss you too.' I thought to him and closed my eyes. I thought about Squall thinking maybe I could reach out to him that way. I smiled when I felt warm feelings travel up my spine.

'I love you.' I thought to him.

_I love you too. You know, your dumb kid actually managed to piss Riku off. I had to pull him out of the line of fire. _

I chuckled. 'What did he do?' I wondered.

_He tugged on Riku's tail one too many times. I didn't try and stop because he needed to figure it out for himself._

I laughed. 'You are too much… the both of you.' I thought.

"Are you okay Cloud? What are you laughing at?" John asked.

I looked to John and smiled. "Someone on the sidewalk was walking very strangely. I found it very amusing." I said off the top of my head. Yes, it was pretty lame but it was the only thing I could thing of in a matter of seconds.

John gave me a weird look but I shrugged it off. I leaned against the window and drifted off as the ride went on.

It was maybe ten minutes later that I felt someone shaking my shoulders in an attempt to wake me up. I sat up and shook away my drowsiness before standing.

We got off the bus and I smiled at the giant attraction in front of me.

"Now remember, you're here for a specific purpose so be sure to ask the experts about the animals you choose to focus on. And if I see any of you goofing off, you will certainly have a detention Saturday morning." The teacher said.

I nodded before following the rest of the class to check in. After about twenty minutes, we were finally able to enter the zoo. I quickly moved over to get a map before heading my way inside the Zoo.

I opened the map and continued to walk as I read the map.

"Cloud! Wait up! I'm your buddy remember?" I turned to see John running towards me.

"I want to get as much information possible which means I can't waste time. So if you are really going to be my buddy, keep up with me." I said.

"Yes, sir!" John said as if impressed by my assertiveness.

I moved through the crowds of people down the brick pathways and when I finally got into the section of carnivorous mammals, I started to look around instead of keeping my head in the map. John was quickly following at my heels.

As I went down the path on the left, my ears started to pick up the voice of a zoo worker. She must have been using a microphone to speak to the gathering crowd.

I frowned when I discovered they were around the area set aside for the wolves. With a sigh, I started to weave my way through the people to the front.

When I finally got there I looked to my left to see a Zoo employee standing on a boulder inside the wolf exhibit.

"So for all of the newcomers to the Radiant Gardens National Zoo, we actually have two new wolves in this exhibit. We believe them to be mother and child. The large female over by the trees we named Hera and her son, located by the pond is named Hercules. Surprisingly, they have tried to integrate themselves in with the other wolves in the exhibit. We think that mother and son have formed their own pack and do not wish to join the others." She said.

I looked at the wolves around the exhibit. Hera was actually a lot larger than the other wolves in the area. She just sat next to the tress looking bored.

I smiled. It kind of reminded me of Riku.

"… are very prideful. They refuse to have their food given to them. We actually have to give them something they can hunt down. Otherwise, they won't eat..."

What the employee was saying about these two new wolves was actually kind of peculiar. I turned my attention back to Hera and my eyes widened when I realized she was looking at me dead in the eyes.

"… these two arrived, we definitely weren't sure that taking them would be the best choice. They certainly are quite the handful…"

I sat quietly as we exchanged glances. Her blue-green gaze was extremely focused and one of the most striking stares I had ever encountered.

"It is just me or is the wolf staring right at you?" I heard John ask from next to me.

I shook my head at him.

"… and Hercules don't ever respond to their names. They do what is needed but don't ever turn their heads when their names are called. They seemed to be the wildest pair we've ever had here at this Zoo…"

I looked at Hera again for another minute before looking over to the pup over by the pond.

I smiled. He was larger than both Sora and Kairi. I wondered if maybe he was older than them. I wasn't sure of the difference between an actual wolf and a Loup Garou.

The pup looked up and I smiled at him. He was so cute.

Out of mild curiosity to see if it would work. I thought to him. 'Hello there, little one.'

The little pup jumped as if it had seen a ghost and started to scramble around as if looking for something.

'Can you hear me? If you can, walk over to your mother.' I thought to the little pup.

He paused in his scrambling before walking over to his mother. I smiled. I couldn't believe that actually worked.

'My name is Cloud. I am the human that is looking right at you. I'm about to put both my hands on the glass wall of your exhibit.' I thought to him before placing both my hands on the glass in front of me.

The little pup looked around at the glass when he spotted me he started to walk over. As he started to get closer, I could see his caution start to rise.

'I won't hurt you. I just want to get a good look at you. I have some pups at home who are almost your size. But they aren't just wolves, they are Loup Garou.' I thought to him.

"Oh my god, Cloud! That wolf puppy is walking right up to you!" John exclaimed loudy.

The pup jumped and started to retreat.

'Wait. Please come back.' I thought to him before turning to John. "Please don't scare him off." I said to him in a very serious voice.

"S-sorry. But this is amazing! Everyone is watching you! Even the Zoo employee… it's like the little pup knows you or something." John said.

"Please shut up." I said as the pup started to come closer to me again.

'Hey, do you think you can communicate back to me? What's your name?' I thought to the little pup.

The little pup ran to me suddenly and I knelt down to be at his level. I pressed my hand to the glass again and I smiled when his nose met my palm through the glass.

'My name… is Hayner. You have to help us! Mother says this place isn't where Loup Garou belong. I don't like it here, everyone keeps looking at me.' The little pups boyish voice appeared in my head.

My eyes widened. 'You're Loup Garou?' I wondered.

The pup yipped and started to lick at the glass. I smiled. He was so cute.

I felt the crowd start to back away from me and I jumped when I felt a pair of hands pull me away from the glass. I struggled out of the hold and was about to turn to snap at who ever pulled me away when I noticed the large female wolf snarling and growling at me through the glass. Her glare was terrifying but I decided I would try and pacify her.

'I already knew of your kind. I may be a human but I'm a member of a Loup Garou pack. My mate is a beta.' I thought to her.

Her snarl diminished but she continued to growl. _That's impossible! _Her voice snapped.

'It's true and I'm going to bring my mate here to see you. You don't belong in this exhibit and I want to help you get out.' I thought to her.

She grunted. _I still don't trust you. _

"Dude! That wolf looked like it was out for blood. Good thing I pulled you away. Let's come back to this exhibit later…" I heard John said.

I ignored him. 'Squall… you need to see this. I'm at the Zoo. Do you think you can sneak in? This is really, really important.' I thought to my mate.

_I'm coming. _Squall's voice sounded serious.

"You wanted to see the panthers, right?" I asked John, hoping to get him distracted.

I would have to lose him soon.

A/N: Review and you shall receive!


	23. Chapter 23

**The Pack**

**Disclaimer: **The characters of this story are hereby disclaimed…

Chapter 23 (ooo scary number!)

I was making my way towards the wild cats exhibits when people from around me started to ask me all of these weird questions. It was starting to aggravate me because I definitely didn't want any extra attention.

"How did you do that?"

"Are you a dog whisperer?"

"Can you do it again so my daughter can see?"

I growled inwardly before snapping. "If you people don't stop hounding me, I'm going to start throwing punches. Get away from me! I'm not here for your entertainment. I'm on a fucking field trip so I'd like it if you'd BACK OFF!" I lunged myself forward for emphasis and smiled when the people realized how obnoxious they were being.

When all of the people dissipated I frowned when there was one person left.

John…

"You are by far the coolest person I've ever met. Can we be friends?" John asked.

"No, sorry…" I said and took my chance to escape. I took a sharp turn and sprinted off in that direction, using all of the skill I had learned from my pack. I could hear him running after me so I turned another corner and hid in the trees in bushes. I stayed low to the ground and became silent.

I watched as he looked around for me. After a couple of minutes, he disappeared somewhere and I moved to stand. I would have to keep an eye out for him.

"Wow, you really wanted to get away from that guy…" I turned to see a woman smiling at me.

I smiled. "Yeah, crazy ex-boyfriend." I said before dusting myself off and heading towards the entrance.

_I love how fun it is to track you down. Though I must say it was a little difficult with all the odd smells here. _I smiled when I heard Squall's voice in my ear.

I turned around to see Squall right behind me. I was surprised to see him wearing the baseball cap from my bedroom.

_It's easier to keep a low profile wearing this hat instead of the one I usually wear._

I nodded and took his hand. "You have to see this Squall… I can't believe that I would find them here." I said.

When we got to the wolf exhibit, it seemed that everything had quieted down. The zoo employee must have moved on to another task, as she was not situated on the boulder in the exhibit.

_This is outrageous. How did you get in here?_

I figured Squall was speaking to the Loup Garou in the exhibit. It seems that the female Loup Garou blocked me from their conversation. It was understandable because she still didn't trust me.

'How are we going to get them out of here?' I wondered.

_It'll be a slightly long process. The truth is, the only way you are going to get out of this cage is if you're dead. Luckily… playing dead is another one of our crafty abilities. _

'Wow, I didn't know that.' I thought, intrigued.

_I had forgotten about it… there aren't many times when any of us have to use it._

I nodded. 'So they're going to have this sudden death and their going to be dragged out of the exhibit…' I thought.

_Yeah, I'm pretty sure when animals die at the Zoo they're transferred somewhere for an examination. It's at the point of transfer that's important. The timing has to be perfect. _

I nodded. 'Do we need anything?' I wondered.

_Yeah… clothes. Larxene and Hayner need to look like humans. Do you think we could borrow some of yours and your mother's clothes?_

'Yeah… should I go get them?' I asked.

_Nope. Zack's opening your bedroom window at this very moment. He'll be here with the clothes in about five minutes. _

'When should they start their scene?' I asked.

Squall didn't have to tell me because I suddenly heard Larxene and Hayner howl as if they were in pain.

Hayner seemed to stumble and trip as he moved. Larxene seemed to drag herself to the pond where she vomited and collapsed. Hayner howled again before hitting the ground seeming to gasp for air. It really looked like they were dying.

_It's just an act… they're perfectly fine. _Squall's voice reassured.

I nodded and watched with a cringe as Hayner appeared to take his last breath. They both laid in the exhibit; their eyes were wide open… but there was no life in them.

People started to crowd the wolves exhibit staring at them like they were some sort of attraction. I growled in anger. It was just wrong… would they have wanted crowd to just sit and watch them die? No they wouldn't… it was disgusting.

_Here they come._ Squall's voice alerted. _They're going to close the Zoo._

"Attention all customers, the Zoo is now closing due to an emergency in one of the exhibits. All customers please head towards the exits. All employees please escort all customers towards the exits." The announcer's voice sounded throughout the entire Zoo.

_We have to hide. Zack's already hidden… we should hide with him. _Squall's voice spoke and he quickly moved towards the entrance.

'Where's Zack hiding?' I asked.

_He's in the plant area near the gift shop. There's enough space for us. Once everyone leaves, we have to move in the camera blind spots._

I nodded and he and I slid into the trees and hunkered down next to Zack. He was holding a duffle bag and I smiled.

'I'm guessing my parents weren't home. I think it would have been hilarious if my mother caught you shifting around in her underwear drawer.' I yipped.

Zack yipped in response. _I'm Loup Garou._

'And?' I wondered.

_That means we don't get caught. _Zack and Squall's voices rang simultaneously in my ears.

I yipped again but quieted when some employees passed.

_I hear the truck pulling up to the wolf exhibit. _I heard Zack's voice.

'We should get moving then, right?' I asked.

They nodded and Squall took my hand. We moved through the plant area's with little problems. Most of the employees were located at the wolf exhibit.

_Zack._ Squall's voice sounded.

_You don't have to ask. I love being the diversion. _Zack's voice sounded excited.

I watched as he walked up to the employees. "Wow, two wolves just kicked the bucket? I think you guys are at fault." I heard Zack say.

About ten employees set off in pursuit of Zack, who was already running around like a wild animal.

I would have laughed but it would have blown our cover.

There were five employees left supervising the bodies being loaded onto the truck.

Squall growled. _There's been a change of plans… we'll have to get them out when the truck is on the move. Zack just leave the Zoo… we're going to follow the truck._

_Got'cha! _I smiled at the sound of Zack's voice.

When the bodies were loaded, the employees latched the door and the truck moved down the pathway to a back exit.

Squall and I waited for the employees to move before following the truck. When we reached the back entrance, I spotted the truck moving out of the parking lot. We left through the exit but still needed to be careful of cameras.

I sighed when we were finally out of that Zoo. We entered the woodsy area that lined the right side of the street.

_I need you to get on my back. _Squall's voice rang in my ears.

'Huh?' I asked.

"I need to catch up to that truck. Zack is already trailing it." Squall said and I just did as I was told.

Squall started running and I was amazed at how fast we were going. I growled.

'So this whole time, you were going easy on me… are you kidding me? And I thought I had the ability to keep up with you!' I thought.

Squall yipped. _Sorry, love._

I watched as we passed up the truck. Squall came to a halt and put me down. "Just stay here." He said and ran off.

I sat and looked out into the street. This must have been a back road that only delivery trucks used.

I gasped when I saw the truck pass. Squall was hanging off the back of it. I ran up a little to watch as he unlatched the truck. He jumped off and the two wolves inside the truck jumped out and ran into the wood area I was in. Zack ran up to me and smiled.

"Squall is too good at what he does." Zack said with a laugh and we walked over to the Loup Garou.

"Here's your clothes, don't forget the hats!" Zack said.

"So, I'm guessing Squall went to close the latch on the truck door so it looks like nothing happened?" I asked.

"Yep." Zack said.

"We're free…" I turned to see a blond woman smiling at the trees around us.

"Like you should be." I said with a smile.

Larxene glared at me. "It was your kind that captured us in the first place." She snapped.

"Cloud is one of us, Larxene!" Zack barked in my defense.

"Mom… he even smells like us." Hayner said and I smiled at him.

Hayner was really adorable. He looked like a fifteen year-old but I bet he was much younger.

"I'm seven." He said with a smile.

"I really can't wait to introduce you to the pups at the clearing. I'm glad Sora will finally have an opponent that can beat him." I said.

"Yeah! I want to meet them. I never have anyone to wrestle with! Can we meet them, Mom? Please!" Hayner begged Larxene with a whine.

Larxene sighed but nodded. "I need some time to figure out what we're doing form here, anyway." Larxene said.

-The Pack-

We all made our way to the clearing. Squall caught up with us and I was happy to see that everything was fixed.

When we got to the clearing, I smiled when I had three pups run towards me. I knelt down and patted their heads.

I jumped when Lerxene suddenly yelled, "YUU!" I turned to see her running towards me, looking as if she had seen a ghost.

Then suddenly I was pushed out of the way and Larxene was holding Zell tightly. I watched as Zell wiggled out of her hold.

What the hell was going on? I watched Larxene in confusion before seeing Sora and Kairi run to Riku.

_I don't know, but I don't think I like it. _Squall's voice sounded in my head as he helped me up from the ground.

"Don't you remember me, Yuu? Do you not recognize your own mother?" Larxene asked the pup. Zell looked completely terrified and confused. Larxene kept grabbing him Zell would struggle to get away from her. When he whimpered in fear I felt my anger rise.

"Excuse me? His name isn't Yuu, it's Zell." I said firmly.

Suddenly, Larxene was advancing with a murderous look on her face. "YOU TURNED MY OWN SON AGAINST ME!" she screamed. Zack and Hayner had to hold her back from attacking me. "YOU DID THIS! THIS IS YOUR FAULT, YOU FILTHY HUMAN!" She thrashed and screeched.

I figured that Zack and Hayner would keep her under control. I moved over to Zell ran to meet me.

_Mommy, what's going on? Who is that lady? She wouldn't stop grabbing me! _Zell whimpered and I kissed him on the head before telling him to go to Riku. Squall started to direct the pup towards the cautious looking black wolf and sent me sent me a feeling of reassurance that Zell would be safe.

Zell looked over at Larxene with an alamed look before turning into a human. "She smells like she wants to kill you, mommy!" Zell yelped.

"WHAT DID HE JUST CALL YOU? YOU ARE NOT HIS MOTHER YOU SICK PIECE OF SHI-"

"THAT IS ENOUGH!" Xemnas' voice boomed throughout the clearing and everyone immediately stopped what they were doing due to the sheer power in his tone.

"I get a message from Squall saying that we found two outsiders in a Zoo, and though I welcome my brothers and sisters to take refuge here, I will not have this anarchy in my pack. You will either obey my order or you can leave!" Xenmas roared pointing his last order at Larxene who was no longer screaming or trying to attack me.

But she had tears in her eyes. "That is _my _son, I would never forget the scent of my own child… even though it has been soiled by you! You may say that you're his mother but he can feel that the blood running through his veins is mine! He'll leave you soon enough!" she said with a calm vehemence that cut me like knives.

I returned the tone in kind. "Zell is a child of this pack, no matter where he came from, his family is _here! _And I _won't _have an outsider of this pack trying to convince him otherwise!" I almost hissed at her. I had never felt such a deep rage towards someone in my entire life. I actually had to leave the clearing in order to prevent myself from attacking the female.

Squall followed me out and I immediately started to run. I didn't care where I was going to but I found myself stopping at the sacred trees, tears of rage flowing freely from my eyes as I whipped back to look at Squall.

"HOW DARE THAT SHE-WOLF SAY THAT TO MY SON! WHO THE FUCK DOES SHE THINK SHE IS! I DON'T CARE IF SHE WAS THE ALPHA OF THE FUCKING UNIVERSE, SHE HAS NO RIGHT TO ATTACK MY ZELL WITH SOMETHING LIKE THAT! HER SON? OH HELL NO! IF SHE IS THE WOLF THAT GAVE BIRTH TO ZELL, SHE RELINQUISHED THE RIGHT AS HIS MOTHER WHEN SHE FUCKING ABANDONED HIM AND LEFT HIM TO BE SOLD AT A FUCKING PET SHOP!" I screamed with rage, picking up a large stick off the ground and started swinging it around to vent my anger.

"THAT BITCH CANNOT CLAIM HIM AFTER ALL OF THAT! SHE CAN'T JUST WALTZ IN AND TAKE HIM BACK LIKE HE'S SOME SORT OF OBJECT AT A PAWN SHOP! I WON'T HAVE IT! I WON'T HAVE THAT WHORE COME IN AND TRY TO RIP MY FAMILY APART! ZELL IS OUR SON! WE SAVED HIM AND PROTECTED HIM AND WE WILL NEVER ABANDON HIM! SHE IS NOT HIS MOTHER! I AM! I'M THE ONE WHO BARED THE PAINS OF ZELLS TRANSFORMATION AND I RIGHTFULLY EARNED MY TITLE. HE CALLS ME, MOMMY AND NO AMOUNT OF BLOOD WILL CHANGE THAT! I'M ZELL'S MOTHER, DAMNIT!" I threw the stick to the ground and it snaped in half at the force of my throw. With a sob, I leaned against one of the sacred trees before sinking to the ground in agony.

"I won't have that bitch hurting _my _son. Did you see the look on his face? Zell was terrified and confused and she completely ignored his feelings! She didn't even think about how he might feel after seeing the supposed mother that abandoned him suddenly grabbing him and bombarding him. He had just found a family that loves him and I don't want him to go back to that home-wrecker just because of some meaningless blood ties!" I cried and sobbed. I watched as Squall changed into a wolf before curling around me. He nuzzled my face in an attempt to comfort me.

"I don't want my baby feeling like the bonds he made in our pack are meaningless now that he's met someone who shares his blood. I'll be damned if our spiritual bonds are broken by a concept so overrated like sharing blood." I sniffled calming down after my temper tantrum. I was just so angry, I didn't know what to do.

_I agree with you, Cloud. She is not his mother and therefore not his family. Though blood connections are something that Loup Garous feel, Zell isn't the kind of wolf that would abandon the people he knows and loves for a blood connection that never really developed. If he's learned to be anything like his mother, he wouldn't even contemplate leaving his family._ Squall's voice said and I smiled.

'You're right.' I thought to him.

_I'm always right. _Squall thought with a low rumble in his chest.

I stood and took a breath. 'I think it's time I spent some time with my kids. Hopefully they are playing nicely with Hayner.' I thought with a smile and picked up Squall's colthes that he had discarded in order to change.

Squall nuzzled and licked my hand. _I love you and our family._

I smiled wider and nodded. 'Me too.' I thought.

As we walked back to the clearing, I thought about how these outsiders might change us, but they would never break us. Axel's pack may have come reaking havoc, but in the end, all of the pack was sad to see them leave. I would just have to consider this the same way.

By the end of this, I would have a stronger family, without a doubt.

A/N: I am really sorry about how long this has taken. For those who read my other fics, another chapter of Without a Sound has been already been posted and I'm starting up a new Fire chapter today. Oh, and if you are wondering about Cloud's school, I will get to that next chapter.


	24. Chapter 24

**The Pack**

**Disclaimer: **I hare writing these… I don't own.

Chapter 24

Something was happening… I could just feel it…

But this something was really making it hard to live my life. Ever since that Larxene bitch has been living in our pack, I've been feeling really strange.

I get all of these weird aches and pains, any sort of strong smells really bother me, my eyes sometimes have a hard time focusing and I've been more aware of what's around me.

I'm sitting in my Biology class and the only thing that's keeping me awake is a small bug crawling up the teacher's desk.

Luckily, that kid John covered for me during the field trip thing. This is a good thing and a bad thing. A good thing that I didn't get in trouble, and a bad thing because now I feel obligated to be nice to him.

"Are you okay, man? You seem to be really spacing out." John asked.

I just nodded slowly and sighed. Another thing that was kind of bothering me is that Squall doesn't seem to notice what's going on with me. Usually, whenever anything happens, if I'm the slightest bit unhappy, he's the first to notice and try to cheer me up.

But it's already Thursday, three days in and he hasn't said a thing. It's like he's completely oblivious.

And that concerns me… we're supposed to be connected. If I'm loosing that I think I might do something drastic, like jump off a bridge in a fit of hysterical depression.

'Squall.' I thought quietly as I finally forced myself to look at the blackboard and write notes.

_Cloud. Is something wrong? _I heard Squall's voice respond.

'No… not at all… I just wanted to see if you could hear me is all.' I thought to him. I was relieved that he could still hear me and come to me if I really needed him.

_Mates can always here each other. Hurry up and get out of class so that Zell and I can see you. He's really miserable through the day when you're gone… _Squall's voice trailed off and I let out a tiny amused huff.

Zell was perfectly content when I wasn't around. He had Sora, Kairi and Hayner to play with and distract himself with. I knew that when he said that Zell was miserable, he really just meant himself.

'I love you and Zell… and I'm sure you both can handle the twenty minutes left I have of this class.' I thought and smiled.

_Cloud… come back soon. _Squall's voice was a playful whine.

I giggled and shook my head. 'Yeah, yeah, now let me get back to class.'

"Is there something that amuses you, Mr. Strife?" My biology teacher asked from the front of the room.

I looked up and realized I hadn't really giggled all that quietly. "No, I'm sorry… I was a little distracted. But I'll be sure to pay more attention from now on." I said politely.

"Alright. Now back to what I was saying…" The teacher started.

"Why does it always seem like you are on a different level. You're so far away…" John said.

"What?" I asked.

"Nothing, it was a weird thought." John replied.

"I just want this class to be over." I said quietly before I spotted another small bug heading for a spider web in the corner of the room. My eyes started to water as I strained to look at it. I blinked and l looked back to the board.

-The Pack-

I dropped off all of my stuff and said hi to my parents before heading over to the park. I was about twenty minutes from the clearing when I heard someone approaching. I turned to see Larxene hop up onto a fallen log and stare down at me. _Why do you keep coming back? _

'Larxene.' I thought before continuing my walk towards the clearing.

_They don't need you anymore… I can easily do all of the things you do and more… I'm actually one of them. _

I ignored her.

She jumped off the log with a growl and cut me off. _I will not be ignored. You were just a temporary replacement… now that I'm here they can finally get the real thing._

I sighed. 'What are you talking about Larxene?' I thought to her. I was tired of this and I was starting to get aches in my legs from being on my feet for so long.

_Why don't you just back off? Yuu has his real mother now and I can easily win over Squall's heart. _Larxene growled.

'What?' I thought giving her a look that said: 'You're bat-shit crazy!'

_Are you seriously this dense? Your connection to Squall is weak… surely you know that by now! You're just a pathetic human; he can't connect fully with such an inferior creature. He deserves better than that and if you really loved him you'd step aside. All I have to do is break your bond and I can take my place by his side. Then my child will have the family he deserves. One with a real female… not just some androgynous sack of meat. You can't give them what they deserve… I can so you should just leave. _Larxene's lips curled back in a snarl before she walked off.

I took a deep breath. I wouldn't let what that stupid bitch said get to me. I was stronger than that.

I walked and when I finally got to the clearing, I smiled at the four kids that ran towards me.

"Momma! Hayner beat Sora in a match! I thought for sure he was going to lose just like everyone else did, but he won!" Zell said and jumped up and down in excitement.

"Wow! Are you okay with that Sora?" I asked.

"Yeah… Zell beat Hayner and I beat him so it's a three-way tie for who's the best." Sora said and his tail wagged happily.

"Zell! Why didn't you tell me you beat Hayner? You should be really happy for yourself!" I said and scooped him up before giving him kisses.

"We want kisses too!" Kairi and Sora said with their ears twitching excitedly.

I sat on the ground. "Okay, kisses for my favorite kids in the pack!" I said and laughed when they all jumped me and showered me in kisses. I kissed the three of them of the forehead and looked around to see Hayner sitting next to me awkwardly.

"Hey, do you want some kisses too? The invitation was for the four of you." I said with a smile.

"My mom says I need to keep away from you." He said quietly, looking down.

I frowned. "Hayner if she wants me away from you then she needs to take it up with me. While you are here, you are part of the pack and I love everyone in the pack." I said and pulled him into the big hug. I kissed him forehead too and congratulated him for his win against Sora. I smiled when his ears fluttered happily.

"Alright, you guys go play. Squall is probably waiting for me to go see him." I said and patted their heads.

I stood and smiled when my midnight blue wolf came trotting towards me. _Cloud. _His voice echoed in my head as he nuzzled his face in my hand before liking it. I kneeled before wrapping my arms around him. I didn't realize how terrible I was feeling until I hugged him and felt all the negativity peel away.

There was a low rumbling noise in his throat and I let out a small whine in response. He loved me and I loved him in return… and even if my connection with him was weaker due to my condition, it was still a force to be reckoned with.

Squall licked my neck before turning into a human and wrapping his arms around me. "You smell like you had a good day." He said and I frowned… My day wasn't that great… in fact, with Larxene trying to get under my skin it was pretty shitty.

What was going on?

"I did." I lied.

Squall yipped and kissed my nose. "I'm glad." He replied.

Something was very wrong… he always knows when I'm lying. Why wasn't he catching on to me? Couldn't he tell he was upsetting me?

Was our connection not what I thought it was… or was it wearing off?

Can you hear this?

"Cloud?" Squall frowned and pressed his forehead to mine, "Are you alright?" he asked.

'I'm fine.' I thought to him. Squall's frown deepened and he pressed closer to me.

_Talk to me. _I heard his voice.

'I told you, I'm fine.' I thought.

_Cloud? _He couldn't hear me.

"Oh god! I forgot I have a test tomorrow! I need to study, I gotta go! Love you guys, I'll see you tomorrow." I said and stood.

"Come back soon…" Squall said with a look of concern.

I ran from the clearing but slowed due to the aches I was feeling. I took a sharp breath and my eyes started to water as they moved in and out of focus. There was a sudden influx of noise. I could hear the rustling of leaves and the call of birds, and odd sounds that I've never heard before.

"Cloud are you alright?" I heard Zack and I looked up blearily to see him and Xigbar approach.

"No…" I said honestly and Xigbar pulled me into a hug. "I don't know what's happening…" I said.

"I wish we knew." Zack whimpered.

'Can you hear my thoughts?' I asked.

_Loud and clear._ They replied and I whimpered inwardly.

'He c-couldn't hear me. I don't think he can feel me ei-ei-either…' I thought and took a breath trying to keep it together. I stood up and moved to take a step only to see nothing but the fibers of my shoe, I blinked as I started to fall over, I felt someone catch me and my eyes seemed to zoom back out into full view.

"I don't like this Xiggy… something is definitely wrong. Kitten can't even walk!" Zack whimpered in concern for me.

"Take him to his house Zack, tuck your ears under your hat. I'm going to talk to Xemnas, maybe he can tell us something. I heard him run back towards the clearing.

Zack sat me down and I closed my eyes for a second before looking to see him fixing his ears under his hat and looking at me. "Do you think your parents will let me stay with you?" Zack asked.

'I don't know.' I thought and he helped me up before we set off towards my house.

-The Pack-

Zack let go of me and I stood and opened my front door. I took a second to compose myself before walking in. "Mom? Dad?" I called.

"Hey honey, I didn't expect you to be back… hello! Are you a friend of Cloud's? It's nice to meet you." My mother said and shook Zack's hand.

"Nice to meet you too! I'm Zack, Cloud met me though Squall. Cloud said he was feeling a little under the weather so I decided I would walk him home. Do you mind if I stay a while?" Zack asked and I smiled at his puppy-dog eyes.

"Of course. Any friend of Cloud's is welcome. Are you okay, Cloud? Do you need some medicine?" My mother asked.

I shook my head. "I'm sure I can handle it without meds. I just need to lay down." I said and started to move towards my bedroom. Zack cleverly slipped his arm around mine to catch my stumble and smiled. "Why don't you show me where your room is? I bet you there's not a thing littering the floor!" Zack giggled.

I smiled at him and he walked me down the hall until I pointed to my door. He opened it and closed it before laying me down on the bed.

"So what exactly is happening to you?" Zack asked.

"My body aches… smells I used to tolerate are completely unbearable to smell… my eyes zoom in and out of focus… sometimes I hear stuff… just noises I've never heard before… I don't even know what they are… it's really trippy stuff that is freaking me the fuck out… and Squall isn't noticing it! He's completely oblivious! I _lied _to him… and he just accepted it… I don't know what happening but I want my connection to my mate back. It hurts… i-i-it hu-hurts so bad." I finally let my tears go and whined out my sorrow.

There was a knock on my window and I looked to see Xigbar waiting to be let in.

"Xigbar! This must be serious if he's sending you to us. Squall and I are the only one's allowed outside." Zack said as he opened the window.

Xigbar looked solemn as he moved through the window. He sat next to me on the bed and reverted to wolf form. I frowned…

_Cloud… none of us really know what's going on… this has never happened before… but the only thing Xemnas could even guess to be happening is that… well, because of your condition… your bond with Squall is becoming unstable and it's causing your body to act strangely and Squall's lack of a response to your calls. He thinks… _Xigbar stopped and let out the smallest whine.

'What does he think?' I thought to him… my eyes watering again.

_He thinks that once your bond has finally broken completely, things will revert back to the way they were before your mating… _Zack finished for Xigbar and tears came to his eyes.

I looked at them… "What?" I asked, completely lost.

_Xemnas thinks nature is denying your union. _Xigbar's voice came back.

Tears started to roll down my eyes. "Wh-what?" I said again, praying that I had heard wrong.

_We all… even Xemnas himself, hope that he's wrong. _Zack's voice said before I heard a whimper escape.

I felt like I couldn't breath… I felt like I couldn't move… this had to be wrong…

Zack wrapped his arms around me and Xigbar curled his body towards me. I let out a shuddering breath before I buried my face into Zack's chest and cried.

Hysterically… they were muffled by Zack's shirt but the wolves holding me could hear the raw agony in them. My body was jerking in despair. How could nature decide something like this? I need him… if I can't be with him than I might as well be dead.

_Don't think that! _ Zack let out a yelp before he began to sob as well. "Don't ever think that again!" he cried and held onto me tightly.

_Think about the people that need you Cloud… the whole pack needs you. Think about us… think about Riku and Xemnas… think about the kids! They won't survive without you. _Xigbar reasoned thought his whimpers.

I thought about them… and I would live for them… but they couldn't erase how cold and alone I feel… The warmth inside… the one that told me Squall was always there was gone…

"Why! Oh God why?" I cried before another onset of sobs and whines took over me again. This had to be true… what else could explain it. Squall's absence was proof…

Why else wouldn't he be here?

A/N: I feel like an asshole… it's been like two months since my last update and I hand you a depressing chapter… but don't worry, I will make time to update this sooner. Please review! Don't leave, this _is _a happy story, I promise!


	25. Chapter 25

**The Pack**

**Disclaimer: **I really don't own, come on guys!

Chapter 25

When I woke up this morning, I almost wished I didn't wake up. With a sigh, I stood and looked to my bed. Zack and Xigbar were still there.

I wanted so badly to be warmed by their presence… but I was numb. I really couldn't feel anything. It was like I didn't care anymore.

But I knew that, more than anything, I really did care… It tore me to shreds to know that I wouldn't ever be the same with Squall again.

Squall…

'SQUALL!' I thought and closed my eyes tightly as I thought of nothing but him.

Nothing… there was no response.

I shook my head and moved to the bathroom to take a shower. I was going to go to school no matter what. I had missed so much of it already and now that my parents have accepted me, I want to do well in school for them.

I washed myself quickly and moved back to my room to change my clothes. Zack was the first to wake up out of the two on my bed.

"I can finally understand why you humans sleep on beds… they are _so _nice…" Zack said and stretched happily across the bed. In the process of doing this, Zack woke Xigbar with a nudge.

Xigbar seemed to smile at his mate before turning to me. "How are you feeling?" Xigbar asked.

"Do you want the honest truth?" I asked and Zack nodded.

"I feel… empty… like there's absolutely nothing inside of me and I can't bring myself to cry about it anymore… I know that deep down I'm really upset about what's happening… but I feel like I don't care at least not at this moment. I don't really feel anything right now." I said and buckled my pants before bending down to tie my shoes.

"Cloud…" Xigbar and Zack said together.

"Don't worry about it… If Squall and I weren't meant to be…" I trailed off after that thought.

The words that came out of my mouth hit me like a truck and I found myself running to the bathroom to puke my guts out.

I couldn't accept that… Squall and I HAD to be together… I don't care if my bond with him is gone… I won't leave his side. I vowed that I wouldn't and I would rather die a million deaths than break that promise.

I wretched over the toilet and I shivered when Zack put a hand on my shoulder. "I hate seeing you like this." Zack said.

"I'm gonna be fine… I have to be." I said bravely, trying to convince myself mostly.

"Are you sure you want to go to school?" Xigbar asked.

"Yeah, you guys go… you should probably leave out the window. I'll see you guys after school." I said and they nuzzled me gently before leaving.

I walked to the living room to see my Mom give me a concerned look. "Are you feeling better today, Cloud?" She asked.

"Yeah, I feel much better after emptying my stomach." I said.

"I think you should stay home." My mother said and put a hand to my forehead. I smiled at her concern and took a step away from her hand.

"I'm okay, I'll be back later. Tell Dad I said good morning when he finally wakes up." I said and left the house.

When I finally got to school… I highly regretted my decision to come to school. I suddenly felt sluggish and achy all over. I sighed and moved to my first period English class. It was an okay class, I guess… it's just that…

"Hey Cloud!" John yelled.

It's just _that._

"Hi." I said simply and sat at my desk. I was not in the mood for humoring this kid with conversation. Jon sat in the desk next to me and smiled.

"You don't look so good, dude. Bad breakfast?" he asked with a laugh.

"I don't think that's funny." I said and turned away from him.

"I was only joking! Cloud, c'mon! Are you really okay? I'm being serious now." He asked.

"No… I feel like shit. I regret coming here…" I said honestly and relaxed when the bell rang and he'd have to shut up for the beginning of class.

By lunch I was kind of having a hard time functioning. I just felt really hot and I'm pretty sure I was shivering like it was freezing cold.

I didn't want to eat anything, I just wanted to sleep and never wake up.

"Maybe you should go home… you look like you have a fever." John said and put a hand to my forehead only to retract it quickly. "Definitely a fever. You really shouldn't be here, man! You could hurt yourself." He said.

"I don't care, I just want to finish the rest of the day. I'm already here so I might as well finish." I said and closed my eyes. I couldn't really see anything anyway. My vision was really fucking me up.

At the end of the day, I was so happy to be out of school but I could barely find my way out of the building. The people in the hallway were so loud it completely disoriented me and I couldn't figure out where I was going.

When I finally made it out of the building I took in the fresh air but it didn't really help.

"Dude, I don't feel comfortable letting you walk home alone. You might get hit by a car or something. I saw you leave the building, you can't even walk straight!" John said and I shook my head.

"Just leave me alone." I said in a huff. I was hit with a sudden shortness of breath.

"Cloud! Seriously!" John exclaimed.

"LEAVE ME ALONE, OKAY?" I yelled and then my legs gave out from under me and I felt my body heading for the ground.

I couldn't feel it when my body hit the unforgiving concrete. In fact, I couldn't really feel anything. I couldn't even tell if I was breathing. I could see a blurry version of John yelling something at me but I couldn't hear him.

Then I was lifted. The blurry John figure stepped away and I watched as I was carried off. Who was holding me? Where was I being taken?

-The Pack-

Squall's POV (While Cloud is at school)

Something wasn't right. Yesterday, Cloud seemed so upset but my body kept telling me everything was fine, that he was happy.

That's how it feels inside me now… like Cloud is having a wonderful day and hasn't been bothered by anything. Cloud isn't particularly the happiest guy on the earth, he can be a bit gloomy sometimes and it's very peculiar to have no emotional fluctuations during his day.

I usually feel them… but I only felt happiness coming from him. It couldn't be right.

_Cloud… _I waited for an answer but received only silence.

_CLOUD! _I thought of Cloud and only Cloud with every ounce of me. There was nothing…

I wanted to talk to Xemnas about it, but I think he was already suspicious of what was happening. Xigbar and Zack were gone all night yesterday… and the only place they could have been was at Cloud's.

Something was wrong with Cloud and I couldn't feel it. And that… well, that scares me.

I frowned when I was hit by a sharp scent. I looked at Larxene who was circling me with a smoldering stare.

_Larxene, your advances towards me are futile. Please douse your scent. _I said before getting up to see about getting some information from Zack.

_Squall… you shouldn't cut yourself short. A proud wolf like yourself shouldn't steep so low as to mate with someone so inferior. You know that I would be a much better alternative. Yuu could have a real family… we could make a family… don't you want a real family, Squall? _Larxene stalked even closer to me.

I growled. _I already have a real family. Don't annoy me. _I replied.

_Fine then… Hayner, would you like another hunting lesson? _Larxene asked her son.

_Yeah! _He yipped happily.

_And what about you, Yuu? Would you like one too? _Larxene asked and I felt my blood boil.

I stood in front of my son and growled lowly. _His name is Zell and he is too young to learn hunting. You should know better than to try and corrupt my son. _

_Don't you tell me how to take care of my child! I'm taking him whether you like it or not! _Larxene snapped before calming. _Why don't you come along to watch… make sure I don't misbehave? _Larxene's wolfish grin looked devious.

He scent hit me again and I huffed before grunting. _Zell and I will only observe. _I relented and looked back at my son. _You are a year too young to learn about hunting. But when the time comes, I will teach you properly. _I said.

Zell nuzzled his snout against my front leg. _Okay… but when is mommy coming back? He doesn't seem to be feeling good. _Zell asked.

I resisted the urge to whimper at his thoughts. Why couldn't I tell that he was feeling unwell? _He should be back this afternoon. _I supplied before we set off after Larxene and Hayner.

Zell and I watched as Larxene helped her son find tracks and learn about them and his senses. Hayner was a smart pup, he was extremely competent and focused. I admired that in a young boy.

They followed the tracks silently until they had finally come across their prey. I paused at the smell of the animal.

Or should I say, animals.

Larxene was just about ready to unleash Hayner on the unsuspecting opossum mother and her three younglings hiding away in her pouch.

I growled. Didn't Larxene want to find more suitable prey? To kill this mother and her young mould put a dent in the order of things. She was going to let Hayner kill not one opossum, but four. Three of which could grow to produce more food for the future.

_Stop this. _I ordered.

_What? _Larxene's voice sounded annoyed.

_This isn't the way Loup Garou hunt. You're teaching your son to be nothing more than a wild dog. Where's your pride? There are three others with that mother and to kill them could upset the chain. _

_What are you talking about? _Hayner asked curiously and I growled.

_Did you not teach him any of the laws? You are unfit to teach your son… you soil the sanctity of our ways. _I said and Hayner looked to his mother.

The opossum had long discovered our presence and had scurried away. Larxene snalred and lunged at me angrily. _Don't tell me anything about pride! When you've had your entire pack destroyed by humans and then been enslaved for nothing more than human entertainment, you can have the right to tell me something! There's no such thing a wolf pride when reduced to nothing, And until you have endured that, you have no right to judge. _

I wanted to punish her for her insolence but I was hit by a wave of passivity. It wasn't worth it to argue with her, I needed to save my energy.

I bowed my head. _You're right. I apologize for judging. But you are no longer being enslaved and therefore should try re-finding your lost dignity… and see about allowing your son to gain his. Don't deprive him of this… he's only a pup. Zell and I however will be leaving. _I said and Zell trotted after me.

_Do I have wolf pride, Dad? _Zell asked as we walked.

_No, but you will. I'll make sure of it. Pride isn't something you are born with, it's something you earn, and once earned must be handled with care. A wolf spends a lifetime maintaining their pride. But it's something that separates us from those too naïve to see the worldview, the ways of life. _I explained.

_What is pride? _Zell asked.

_It cannot be defined in words but will make itself known to you and you'll feel what it is. It's an important part of the growing process for Loup Garou. When you are no longer a pup, you'll feel it and will be able to indentify it in others. _I explained.

_I want to have a pride like yours… _Zell seemed to be off in his thoughts unaware that I was still listening.

I leaned down and nuzzled his neck and released a low rumble in my throat. Zell yipped softly in reply and we continued to walk.

That is until I collapsed to the ground at the pain I felt in my stomach. I panted at the pain that began to spread through me. It felt as though someone was tugging on my insides, causing a searing hot pain to flow through me.

_Dad! Momma! _Zell whimpered.

That's when I turned my focus to my ears despite my pain. I could hear Xigbar's panicked voice and the sound of Zack whimpering Cloud's name.

Was there something happening to him? I had to help him. I needed to get to Cloud. With a determined growl, I stood slowly. The pain increasing tri-fold. My pants turned to whines and I forced my paws forward. I wouldn't let my mate suffer alone. He needed me… and I needed him.

I looked at Zell who gave me an encouraging look. I managed to lick his snout before I set off running. I tried my hardest to fuel the pain I was feeling towards the movement of my legs, but when there was a vice grip on my lungs and heart, I fell and slid into the clearing in a heap.

I looked over to see everyone surrounding Cloud with concerned looks on their faces. He seemed to be convulsing on the ground.

With a snarl I managed to get my front legs to move. I whined when pain over took me as I dragged myself over to my beloved. With one final pull, I was next to Cloud and I whined loudly as the pain thrashed over and over but I laid firmly against my mate, I wanted him to know that I was here and that no matter what happens.

I wouldn't leave.

A/N: Sorry about yet another slightly depressing half-way cliffhanger ending... but things will turn out alright I promise. Next chapter should be out soon... probably this weekend. Then you will finally see what is going on! REVIEW AND I WILL LOVE YOU FOREVER!


	26. Chapter 26

**The Pack**

**Disclaimer: **If I owned everything in this story… I'd probably be rich enough to buy my own damn wolves regardless of how illegal it is…

I love all of you readers that review, but it really makes me happy that a lot of you caught onto what was happening! ENJOY!

Chapter 26

Squall POV

When I opened my eyes, I was surprised by the amount of relief I felt inside of me. And that's when I realized…

It wasn't just my own relief… it was Cloud's too.

I could really feel him again… in fact, I could feel him more than I could before. I could feel the relaxation of his muscles and the evenness of his breath.

_Squall… you should see this… he's beautiful… _I heard Zack's voice. I looked at Zack with a puzzled face as he looked at something with complete awe.

I stood slowly. I knew Cloud was sleeping soundly next to me so I looked over to see if he was okay.

And there he was in all his glory.

A large crème colored wolf was curled delicately as he slept, Zell cuddled warmly in his fur. I knew that is was Cloud.

And that's when it all made sense, I was bearing the real pain of Cloud's transformation and I guess there was a resting period between us that stopped us from connecting. I yipped.

Zack and Riku yipped in reply and I was suddenly hit with the biggest urge to run in circles.

_I'll run with you! _Zack replied to my thoughts. Xigbar smiled at me and spoke aloud. "You did a fine job, Squall… he's really a sight for sore eyes."

"I am relieved to know that my thoughts on the matter were incorrect… I couldn't have been more wrong. Nature was reinforcing your bond, not breaking it apart. My only question is how this happened…" Xemnas said.

"Who cares? Cloud can finally feel like he truly belongs!" Kairi and Sora yipped.

_I agree… I couldn't be happier for him. _Riku said.

And that's when I set off running, I had this surging excitement flowing through me and all I could do is burn it out. I weaved through the trees and when I finally found the lake I jumped right into it. Howling happily as I sank deeper into the water. I heard Zack splash in next to me and I swam to the surface. I reverted to human form and yelled and cheered.

Zack laughed at me but I didn't care. I was so happy!

"YES! FUCK YEAH! THE BEST THING THAT EVER COULD HAVE HAPPENED TODAY, JUST HAPPENED! CLOUD'S GOT OUR FORMS AND HE'S FUCKING GORGEOUS! THAT'S MY MATE… ONLY THE BEST!" I yelled and yipped before taking a deep breath and floating on the surface.

Zack swam over to me. "I'm so happy for our family… I feel like it's really complete now… you know what I mean?" Zack asked.

"Yeah… I do." I said with a relaxed sigh. I got out of the lake and shook to dry off. "I have to go back and look at him again. I feel like it might all be a dream." I said and made my way towards the clearing.

I was stopped suddenly by Larxene. _This doesn't change anything, I _will _have you no matter what it takes. _She growled.

"Go ahead and try." I said before brushing her aside and running off towards the clearing again.

-The Pack-

Back to Cloud POV

I was so warm… it felt so good that I almost didn't want to open my eyes. And that's when I remembered what happened. Where was I? Who was taking me away?

_Xigbar was sent to watch you. When you collapsed he took you back to the clearing. Everything is okay now… open your eyes. Something amazing happened! _Squall's voice yipped.

I smiled and sighed happily when I realized Squall could hear me again… but I noticed something else. I could literally feel something that I had never felt before… it was like a gentle clasp around my heart and for some reason… it felt like Squall… like Squall was actually inside of me, guarding my heart.

I opened my eyes and came face to face with a tan-ish colored tail and four legs wrapped gently around my son.

Who was that? I moved to stand only to see the wolf legs move and the tail flick.

Oh my god… were they _my _legs?

I stretched and could finally conclude that yes, they were my legs and tail… I was a wolf… I think.

_You are and you are the most beautiful creature to ever walk this earth. Stand up, let everyone see you as you are. _Squall's voice said softly.

Zell woke with a yip. _Momma is a wolf now! _

I moved to stand, my legs wobbling beneath me. I lifted my head to see everyone looking at me with smiles on their faces. Everything was so clear, the sights, the sounds, the smells… it was amazing… I was really looking through new eyes.

I tried to walk but I stumbled. Squall walked over to me and I leaned on his side. After a couple of minutes, I got the hang of four legs and started to walk on my own. It was really strange. There were so many varieties of walking. I could move one leg at a time, or two… I could move my front legs first or my back legs. I could probably spend days trying to figure out all of the possibilities.

Squall yipped in amusement and I growled in agitation. _Don't make fun of me! _I thought.

_But you're so cute, you're like a newborn pup! _Squall yipped again.

I yipped myself when I noticed my tail wagging. With a playful growl I pounced on him. Squall yelped before yipping again at my antics. He nipped the scruff of my neck and I smiled when his little bites didn't hurt me. I had tougher skin now.

I nipped at his heels and he jumped on top of me with another yip. I fell to the ground and smiled when everyone laughed at our playful display.

_It's been a while since I've seen a real dog pile. _Riku said with a smirk and Squall and I growled.

_We're not dogs! We're Loup Garou! _We shouted together.

_We wanna play too! _Sora, Kairi, and Zell said.

I heaved Squall off of me and growled at the three pups. I lowered my front end while my hind quarters were still in the air, my tail wagging playfully. I bared my teeth at them.

_I'm the hungry monster and I love eating puppies! _I said in a low voice.

_NOOO! _They yelled and scattered across the clearing. I shot off to chase them only to lose track of my legs and fall to the ground again.

The others laughed and I whined, embarrassed.

_Come on Cloud! Get up! _The kids yelped.

I got up and focused as I ran, I did a lap around the clearing and smiled when I realized there was a natural order of movements that I had yet to follow. It was like a sudden instinctual epiphany. I yipped before picking up the pace. I could run so fast, the feeling was amazing! The wind bending around me, the rush of my heart, the stretch of my muscles. I couldn't get enough of it!

I set off towards Sora who yelped and began to run. I caught up to him and grabbed his scruff gently with my mouth before lifting him.

_Gotcha! _I thought to him.

_Awwe man! _Sora whined. I put him down and asked him to help me catch Kairi and Zell.

_Okay! _Sora yipped and set off to catch Kairi.

I was about to go run after them when I spotted Hayner sitting sadly at the side of the clearing. I trotted over to him and poked him with my wet nose. _What's the matter? _I asked.

_I don't understand why my mother still doesn't like you. You're one of us now aren't you? Why can't she accept that? Why can't she and I be a part of this family? I want to be… I want to be so badly. I've been alone for so long… I had forgotten what it was like to be with others, to have friends. And why does she need Squall so badly… what's wrong with just having me? I don't think she likes me anymore… she doesn't tell me anything… she doesn't even like when I'm around anymore… she wasn't always like this… and I m-miss h-her… _Hayner said before bursting into a series of whines.

My heart almost broke at hearing him vent his thoughts. He was just a kid and he needed his mother, he didn't need anyone else… and I knew that kind of feeling very well after being disowned for two years.

I curled myself around the boy and let him let it all out. He was so upset and I wanted to smack some sense into Larxene for forgetting about the person that loves her most.

_You mother loves you very much… she's just loosing sight of the things that are most important to her… if her love for you is anything like my love for my kids, then I know that you are her most precious person. You are the best part of her self and without you she wouldn't ever be the same. _

_You really think so? _Hayner asked.

_I know so! _I yipped before licking his snout. Hayner yipped and snuggled closer to me. _I hope she realizes it again soon. _He said.

_Get away from my son! You may have stolen Yuu but can't take Hayner from me! _Larxene's voice broke through the peaceful atmosphere of the clearing.

I frowned and stood. _I didn't steal anyone… and I have no intention of doing so._ I voiced calmly.

_YOU'RE A LIAR! YOU'RE NOTHING BUT A ROTTEN HUMAN AND THAT'S ALL YOU'LL EVER BE. _She lunged for me and I jumped out of the way. She immediately turned to attack me again and I snarled at her.

_I don't want to fight with you! _I growled.

_I won't have you stealing my children and wrecking my family again! Never again! _She lunged again and this time I couldn't move quick enough.

I yelped when her teeth chomped down on my back. I could hear the others yelling at Larxene and I could feel their apprehension and helplessness.

They couldn't help me. I was being challenged and if I were to back down or seek aid, I would lose.

I growled and managed to bite her leg. She yelped and I pulled until she let go of me. I then moved to create some distance between she and I. Larxene looked at the wound on her leg before growling lowly. She ran at me full speed and before I could set off to run she kicked up the dirt and it flew into my face. I whined at the burning of my eyes and realized she was probably about to deliver the final blow.

_STOP IT MOM! _Hayner yelped desperately and I opened my eyes blearily to see Hayner standing in front of me. _I don't really know how this stuff works but even I know that was a dirty thing to do mother! It was low and you know it! Why can't you let go of what happened so long ago? We lost a lot of family that day but life is giving us another opportunity to be free and make new relationships. Why can't you be happy with what we are being given? Why can't you be happy with me? _Hayner whined before pressing his face into his mother's fur. _Why can't you be as happy with me as I am with you? _

_I am happy with you. _Larxene said softly.

_You snap at me whenever I try to talk to you and you do nothing but bother about Squall. Squall is taken already… we don't need him! All we need is each other right? That's what got us through everything. _Hayner whimpered.

Larxene's eyes widened when she finally came to the realization that she was neglecting the person she loved the most. She nuzzled her son before relenting. _You're right… all we need is each other… Yuu has found a new family and I need to let that go… but you Hayner are all I have and couldn't be more precious to me. I love you so much and I'm sorry I lost sight of that. _

_Can't we give this pack a chance? Everyone in it? This could really be a great thing if they'll have us. _Hayner said.

Larxene looked at me. _I'm sorry… and I'm grateful that Yuu found someone who loves him as much as you do. _

_I promise he's in good hands. _I said with a smile and relaxed… That was scary. I really thought I was gonna die for a second.

Squall ran over to me and licked the wound on my back. _You thought you were scared… what about me… all I could do was watch! I'm gonna have to teach you how to fight. _Squall said.

_Sounds like a good idea. _I yipped before nuzzling his neck.

_I don't know about you guys… but I could use a nap! _Zack said and snuggled up next to his mate.

_I agree… _I yawned and settled down next to Zack. I looked at Squall and Zell. _You feel like snuggling? _I asked with a slight laugh.

Kairi was the first to press herself into my fur. _I want to. _She said and Sora soon followed after. Zell squeezed himself between them before Squall finally rested against me.

Riku and Xemnas were over by the boulder watching carefully. Hayner pulled his mother over to us and they situated themselves next to us.

I smiled before I drifted off… harmony was restored in our pack and all seemed to be right in the world.

A/N: So all is well now! Yay! Please review and tell me what you think! The climax of this story should be coming soon, just giving y'all the heads up and get excited cuz it's gonna be awesome! (I hope...)


	27. Chapter 27

**The Pack**

**Disclaimer: **

**Me**: Square-Enix, you know you want to give me all of your characters! You really like my homoerotica! You love it!

**Square-Enix**: Seriously, you crazy bitch, YOU. OWN. NOTHING!

**Me**: EXCEPT FOR THE PLOT! :D

DooomWolf, this is only to get the ball rolling. But here is a new chapter and more will come this week. I PROMISE! So don't be sad/mad/anything that is bad.

I really appreciate all of you guys for being patient.

Chapter 27

It's been about a month since my transformation and I've pretty much gotten used to all of the craziness of being Loup Garou. I've learned to modify the strength of my senses and running is a breeze.

The only thing that I still have some trouble doing is eating raw animal… dead, raw animal. The first time I tried I literally cried before regurgitating all that I had eaten. And then I cried even more because I knew it was completely disrespectful of me to waste a used-to-be living soul like that.

Why would I kill it if I couldn't eat it?

And it's not like it tastes bad, but the human part of me just feels so disgusted. So when I eat dead animal I have to close my eyes and Squall usually distracts me with mind conversation.

Squall has been the BEST mate ever… he's done nothing but support me through all of these changes and I was actually really surprised by the amount of patience he had… usually he's such a hothead.

_You'd think by now you'd understand that I read your thoughts almost all the time… you're almost always in my head. And now I can't blame it on you being a dumb human._

'I resent that remark! And anyway, it's not like you being a hothead is a big secret. It's one of the many qualities that make you, you and I love you for it.' I thought.

_Nice save._

'Thanks.' I yipped.

Another really great thing that's happened now that I'm a Loup Garou is that I can easily juggle school/work, parents, and home. I go to school or work and go to parents in the afternoon where we have dinner and talk like any normal family and then I leave to go home to Squall and the rest of the pack.

Homework isn't a problem because I can usually finish it in study hall and what I can't I do before going home to the clearing.

I actually told Naminé and Tidus about my transformation. They actually didn't believe me at first but that's only because I don't have ears or a tail in human form. But when our shifts were over and I stood in the kitchen in wolf form they definitely believed me.

And I have to say, as much as I would have liked having a pair of adorable ears, it would have been very hard to explain to my parents, let alone the obnoxious kids at school.

Not that leaving every night to go to some boyfriend's house is easy to explain to your parents either. They were concerned that I night be doing something dangerous or illegal.

"_Mom, Dad, I hope you guys can trust me when I say that I have not done or will ever do something illegal deliberately. I'm a good kid and I have way too many responsibilities to uphold… I can't just throw my life away like that. I have too much to lose. The only reason I go back to Squall is because I love him and I really love sleeping next to him, just like you like sleeping next to Mom. Also, Zell's there." _ _I explained._

"_Zell?" My mother inquired._

"_He's our puppy. We rescued him and now he's part of the family. And I love him SO much!" I squeaked not realizing that just thinking about Zell's cuteness made me want to run to the clearing just so I could smother him in kisses. And when I thought about my other kids waiting for me back home I couldn't help but feel the need to go see them and drown them in love. _

_My mother smiled and my dad gave me a serious look. "Now your mother and I have seen this guy once and he didn't look like a teen to me… Are you having sex with him? You're only sixteen, son… and I can't say I like the thought of someone older than you taking advantage." _

_I smiled at my dad, if it were anyone else I would have gotten angry at such an accusation, but he was worried that I might get hurt. He was looking out for me and that's really all I ever wanted from my parents, for them to care. "Believe it or not dad, but he really is only sixteen. It's his circumstances that make him look a lot older… but I totally understand where you're coming from… he looks at least 19 or 20. And about the sex thing… yeah, I've slept with him but it's only because we love each other and are completely committed to each other. I really wish this stuff was something I could explain fully to you but please trust me when I say that he will never hurt me." I rambled nervously._

"_I believe you Cloud… and we're not stupid, there's something going on with you and that boyfriend that you can't tell us… but as long as you're safe and you're happy, your father and I will support you, right?" My mom nudged her husband and my dad laughed._

"_Yes, we support you. And I don't need to be nudged, woman!" Dad grumbled._

_I smile and pulled them both into a hug. "I really love you guys." I said._

"_We love you too." They replied._

-The Pack-

I unlocked the doors of The Bakery with a yawn and moved to get everything set up. I smiled as Zell trailed behind Squall liked a baby duckling following its mama.

_You know Cloud, I'm starting to think you do this on purpose. I am no mama duck and I would appreciate it if you wouldn't refer to me as one._

'C'mon Squall, don't be such a hard-ass. You know you secretly love the fact that your son thinks you're a god. You wanted to impress him, that's why you took him to observe our hunt in the first place.' I thought with a raised eyebrow and I yipped slightly when I felt his cheeks heat up on my own face.

I watched as Squall looked down to Zell who immediately lit up and I laughed when I saw his tail wagging through his clothes. Squall patted him on the head and Zell leaned into the touch. With one last glance at my mate and his new number one fan, I moved into the kitchen to get started on the breads.

After placing the breads in the oven, I grabbed the bagels and left the kitchen to see Tidus entering the shop.

"Tidus! You'll never guess what I saw today!" Zell exclaimed as he ran over to the large blond, jumping up and down excitedly.

"What did you see, Zell?" Tidus asked and moved behind the counter to get the cleaning supplies for the tables.

"Mommy and Daddy went on a hunt today and I got to watch! Momma found the tracks and they managed to find this HUGE stag! It was gigantic! They literally chased it through the trees and whenever it almost got a way, they would block it off until it was finally cornered! But it wasn't gonna go down without a fight! I thought for sure it was gonna hurt someone with those enormous horns. But Mom and Dad were too quick! Mommy slid right under it and bit down on the front leg while Dad, in that spit second when the stag lifted its head to yell in pain, lunged for the throat and finished it. It was AMAZING! The pack ate so well today we probably wont have to eat for a whole month!" Zell cried out in the peak of his excitement.

I smiled at my son. It made me so happy that he had so much more pride in who he was. I was glad we could all be so proud of being Loup Garou.

"That's awesome, kiddo!" Tidus said and I frowned. What was with his tone of voice?

"When I grow up, I want to be just like Mommy and Daddy and you can watch me hunt! It'll be awesome!" Zell said with the biggest beam on his face and he grabbed hold of Tidus' pant leg.

"Yeah, totally!" Tidus said and moved to go wash the tables. I felt my anger flare a little at Tidus' attitude towards my son. There was no need to be falsely interested in what he had to say.

I heard my mate growl softly when my son's face suddenly drooped and the brightness in his eyes became the result of unshed tears instead of excitement. He whined and walked over to me and buried his face in my apron.

I growled, loud enough for Tidus to hear. "Look Tidus, I get it that you don't like kids. But don't talk to my son like that! He's not stupid, he can tell when you're being sarcastic. You basically just lied to his face. I'd rather you be completely honest then to try and trick him." I said and picked up my son and held him close when he whimpered.

_Tidus doesn't like me! I can smell it on him! What did I do? _I could feel Squall's anger start to boil in the pit of my own stomach.

"Sorry, kid." He said and Zell wiped his eyes before glaring at Tidus.

"No, you're not. I can smell lies…" Zell mumbled before squirming out of my arms to go over to Squall who ran a hand through Zell's hair before he climbed into the chair. Zell smiled at him and I relaxed a little knowing that Zell was okay.

I sent Tidus a glare before moving to take the breads out the oven and working on snicker doodles. I was about fifteen minutes into making the cookies when Tidus entered the kitchen.

I gave him a weird look. "You know I don't let you do much cooking in here." I said.

"I know… It's just that you're boyfriend keeps glaring a me and though I don't want to admit it, it's pretty scary." Tidus said.

"You know he can hear you loud and clear even in this room…" I said and Tidus shivered a little before deciding to speak. "It's not like I don't like your kid… it's every kid. I've never liked them. They have too much energy and they're grabby! They have no sense of personal space and they don't know what germs are so they get sticky and gross and just… they are too much to deal with!" Tidus said and I gave him a deadpan look.

"Seriously Tidus? That's your reason for disliking my kid? I can see the energy thing but he's never been sticky or gross. And yes, he gets in your space but only because he wants your attention. Zell just wants you to like him, he obviously thinks you are likable enough… which is completely weird." I said.

"Hey! I'm likable! You said I had charm!" Tidus glared.

"That was before you bullied my son." I said and turned my nose up at him playfully.

"It's not like I was _trying _to hurt his feelings, I was trying to treat him better than I treat other kids. Other kids I don't even bother to notice them! I was trying to at least pretend to be nice but it backfired!" Tidus sighed.

"Zell isn't a normal kid, he's Loup Garou. He probably knows about how and what you feel more than you do. We're sharp like that." I said with a puff of pride.

"Who's sharp? And I have to say, Zell and Squall must be listening in because they are quite focused on the kitchen door. Zell's ears were twitching under his hat." Naminé said and I frowned.

I walked out of the kitchen and moved over to Zell. 'What did we say about your ears, babe?' I asked in my head.

Zell gave me a guilty look. _Not to make them noticeable._

'Honey, you can't move your ears while you are in public. Not even an inch, it's really dangerous. If someone sees they could discover you and take you away. Do you want to be taken away?' I asked looking him dead in the eyes so he could see how serious I was being.

He shook his head and bit his lip. _I don't want to be taken away from my family. _His eyes started to water and I sighed. I must have scared him a little with that thought.

'Well, all you have to do is keep your ears still. It's as simple as that so don't cry. Don't you want to be as brave as Daddy? Your father isn't crying at all. Not one tear!' I thought to him and Zell immediately cheered up.

"Yeah! Dad's not afraid of anything!" Zell said and I laughed when Squall pulled his son into a hug and kissed his head.

It was such a shock to Zell that he yelped before turning to look at Squall with surprise on his face. When he finally registered what had happened, he pounced and Squall actually let out a laugh when he caught the volatile ball of energy that was our son.

"We're going to need to fix those pouncing skills of yours when you turn two." Squall said and Zell snuggled closer into his father's chest. I smiled at the two of them.

'I like you best when you're like this.' I thought to him before moving to go back to work.

_I thought you liked me best when you're writhing beneath me. _Squall's voice resounded in my ears before he sent me an image of me arching underneath his body in pleasure. My face turned beet red and I growled at him.

'I don't like you like that. I can't stand it, you never do anything embarrassing that I can send back to you in retaliation!' I thought back to him before blocking him from my mind and moving into the kitchen to cook some more.

"Are you okay Cloud? You look really flushed." Naminé mentioned and I smiled.

"My boyfriend's just being a dirty old dog." I said knowing that Squall could hear me from the front.

Squall's POV

I chuckled inwardly at my mate. He was so easy to rattle and I had all the right tricks up my sleeve to do it.

I looked down to my son who was watching the customers order their food. I could feel his tail wag slightly in my lap when Tidus smiled at the customer and wished him a nice day. I nudged Zell and he turned to me. _Why do you even bother with that guy? He's not worth it to me. Someone who can't appreciate who you are shouldn't be graced with your presence or your time. _I thought to him.

_He's really loyal towards Mom and Naminé, and there's something about the way he moves… it's like he's got something he doesn't like letting go of. Sometimes, if I wait long enough, there's a split second when he finally let's go and I can feel… I'm not sure what exactly I feel but it's kind of like when I feel the need to just run and never look back… the desire to be free. I want him to be able to feel free… no one should ever feel trapped._

I wasn't sure how to respond to that kind of response. Zell was really a lot sharper and more observant than I fist believed. And he was growing in a way that I didn't think would happen until later in life.

He was learning to cultivate his wolf pride. His awareness of the world around him… of the scents, the sights, and the flow of emotion was growing. He was learning to look deeper than the surface of things. He was searching for the cause of things along with how they work. It made me proud to think that my son could understand so much, so early.

_I guess that's a sufficient reason to try and learn to understand a person like him. _I waited and watched with Zell for a few minutes when I felt it too. In that short moment, there was a spark of passion and desire for liberation.

_Did you feel it? _Zell asked.

I grunted and let out a sigh before resting my eyes. Still listening to the sounds around me. Occasionally checking back to the forest to make sure everything was fine over there.

There was something else I was feeling.

The future certainly wasn't something I could predict… but I was sure, something was going to happen. I couldn't say whether it was good or bad. But I could feel something coming… soon.

A/N: Okay now that I gave you a rather useless filler after all this time… I know, feel free to call me a useless piece of shit. But now I know where I'm going with this and I'll write the last few chapters. (You're probably thinking: LAST FEW CHAPTERS! There's going to be maybe ten or so more chapters in a sequel that involves Roxas/Axel and Tidus/Zell) I know the second pairing is most odd but I liked the idea after a while of thinking about it. So anyway, don't fret more will be coming soon.


	28. Chapter 28

**The Pack**

**Disclaimer: **I'm pretty sure that if you are reading a fanfic, it's almost self-evident that you are _borrowing _the characters from some fandom… in this case Square-Enix's Kingdom Hearts characters… also Final Fantasy too.

Chapter 28

The weekend soon ended and I was once again in school. I sat in my desk in homeroom and sighed. Another day of useless droning and sleep-inducing curriculum.

"Hey Cloud! How are you this morning?" I lifted my head warily to see John looking at me with a bright look on his face.

I frowned… morning people…

"No one should look like you do right now this early in the morning…" I said and my head drooped back down to my desk in fatigue.

To be honest, the reason I was so tired is because my idiot mate decided to reveal the enigma that was pheromones to me on a school night. If I thought the sex was good when I couldn't smell them…

_It's good to know that you are so enticed by my scent. _I groaned at the gloating voice of my mate.

"Are you okay Cloud?" John asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just really tired." I said and thought, 'Seriously, Squall, we couldn't have done that on the weekend? When I can sleep afterwards?'

_I needed to take you by surprise. It worked too, you should have seen the look on your face when you finally smelled them. You looked as though you were in a trance. _

I barked out a laugh. 'Yeah, more like you scent hit me like a truck going 80 miles an hour or a hard sock to the face.' I thought.

"You're sure you're okay, Could? What's so funny?" John asked and I shook my head again.

_You loved my scent, admit it. And yours ain't half bad either. Last night was pretty explosive in the best way possible._

I smiled faintly. 'Yeah, I feel like we're even closer than we were before. And feeling close to you is the best feeling.' I thought.

_I love you, Cloud._

"I love you too."

"WHAT?" John exclaimed incredulously.

I jumped when I realized I said that out loud. I growled inwardly when I felt my mate yipping at my expense. "I said I'm feeling kinda blue… to be completely honest." I said.

"Oh! Okay, that's good. I thought you said you loved me for a second." John said with a laugh.

"No… I didn't…" I said.

"Say Cloud?" John started.

"Yes." I said.

"Have you ever heard of Loup Garou?" John asked.

I remained completely calm and looked at him with a puzzled face. "You mean like werewolves?" I asked.

"Yeah… well not really. They are different from werewolves." John answered.

"But they don't exist." I said.

"They do! They're really good at keeping a low profile, but I definitely think they exist! I find them so fascinating! My mom does too!" John said.

"Wow, I hope you don't take this the wrong way… but I can see why you have a limited amount of friends." I said.

John laughed. "Yeah… my dad really doesn't like the fact that I like Loup Garou so much… he resents them. It's a shame because…"

I tuned out of John's ramblings and sighed inwardly. Today was going to be a long day…

I was only too happy when I finally could go home. I grabbed all of my stuff and didn't stop to talk to anyone as I left the school. I ran down the sidewalk and into the park.

When I was deep enough in the forest, I picked up speed and was in the clearing within minutes. I dropped my stuff on the ground and jumped into the bushes to take off my clothes before morphing into my wolf form and tackling Zack.

The brown wolf and I fell to the ground with a yip before we began to play fight. I nipped at Zack's ankles and he growled.

_You know I hate it when you do that! Stop it you mongrel! _Zack's voice sounded in my head and I yipped before pushing him with my body weight.

'You're the mongrel Zack! Fight me or forever be a mutt in my eyes.' I provoked.

Zack pounced and he and I tumbled around for about ten minutes until I found myself pinned.

I glared. 'I let you win!' I thought.

_Uhuh… sure. You're still just a pup in play fighting. I've had many, many years of practice compared to you. _Zack explained.

_Momma! Can we go play in the forest? We want play hide and seek and it's easier to find a hiding spot outside the clearing. _Zell's voice asked and Sora and Kairi were waiting eagerly behind him.

I looked over to my mate and Xemnas, silently asking if this was okay.

_It's fine as long as someone older is with you. _Xemnas deemed.

_Can we take Hayner? He's old enough right? _Sora asked.

_I'm sure my son can keep them in line. _Larxene said.

_Are you up for that Hayner? _Xigbar asked and Hayner lifted his scruffy head from his light doze to address the question.

_Yeah, I don't mind. Besides, I haven't played hide and seek in years. _Hayner said and stood.

_YAY! HAYNER! _The kids yipped and circled the older boy before running off into the forest.

_Don't forget about traps! _I called out to them and they all sent me their grunts to show me they understood.

I shook my head at the goofballs before moving over to Squall and lying down next to him. 'Can I sleep next to you?' I asked, mainly just to let him know that I wanted him to stay next to me.

Squall released a soft grunt before I laid down next to him and I let out a low grumble when I felt his warm body next to mine. Squall returned the grumble before laying his head atop of mine.

-The Pack-

Zell's POV

I ran through the trees searching for a hiding spot. When I noticed that tree with the hole at the bottom I ran into it and hid.

I looked around at the shaded dark walls that was the bark at the bottom of the tree and shivered.

The last time I was in this hole, Mommy and I were being hunted by a pair of dogs. I shook my head at the memory and waited for someone to try and find me.

After a while I frowned and poked my head out of the hole to listen for the others. I walked out of the whole and yelped when I felt someone pounce on me. I kicked whoever was on me and whined.

_That's not fair! You waited till I left my hiding spot! _

Hayner, Kairi, and Sora were snickering at me and I growled.

_It's totally fair Zell! I had already found everyone else. You were my last hunt! _Sora yipped.

_How come I couldn't smell you guys coming? _I asked with a pout.

_The air is too muggy, it's masking our scents. It's actually going to rain soon. Do you guys still want to play? _Hayner answered.

Sora, Kairi, and I looked at each other and grinned. _YEAH! _We yelped together.

Hayner huffed a little and we laughed before running off. Hayner followed close behind us and I pulled ahead.

_Race ya! _I yipped and picked up even more speed.

_Hey no fair! You got a head start! _Kairi whined but sped up with Sora.

We continued to run around and I was happy to find that I could always remain ahead of them. I think it was all of the races I had with my dad. It made me a better runner than everyone else.

My dad was so cool. I was gonna be just as fearless as he was.

The rain started softly and I yipped at the gentle sound of the cold droplets falling onto the branches of the trees and the ground.

I ran and jumped onto a fallen tree trunk, morphed into my human form and looked down at Sora, Kairi, Hayner. "I'm the fastest pup in the pack! And I'm the bravest too!" I boasted and Sora growled.

_You can't say that Zell! You had a head start in the race and you haven't faced enough danger to brag about being brave._ Sora said and Kairi nodded.

Hayner just yawned and looked bored.

"I've faced plenty of danger! I've faced wild dogs and people who plan to hunt us down. I escaped their pathetic attempts to capture me! I could laugh in their faces! HAHA!" I yipped and Sora turned into his human form.

"Zell, those situations aren't ones you should laugh about. Someone could have really gotten hurt. I wouldn't brag so much." Sora said.

"You're just weak! I'm fearless, just like my dad and I can take on anyone who tries to take me down. Go ahead and challenge me Sora, I can win easily!" I said hoping he would take my challenge.

"No Zell… in fact, I'm going to head back into the clearing. It's not really all that fun to play in the rain. The last time it happened, momma got hurt." Sora said and moved towards the clearing.

"Come back here you coward!" I yelled and Sora just kept walking. Kairi gave me a meaningful look before trotting off after Sora.

"Not you too? You guys are just a bunch of scaredy cats. I'm gonna play some more, with or without you!" I yelled before jumping off the log and continuing my play.

Hayner walked over to me and I looked up at him.

"We should go back too." He said in his human form.

"What? I just started! Come on! I'll race you too!" I said and took off as fast as I could into the forest.

I kept running and running, and soon, I could no longer hear Hayner's footsteps running behind me.

I smirked. I had won!

I took another step forward and yelped when suddenly walls came up around me and I realized.

I was in a glass cage.

I stomped down my panic and thought about what I could do to get out of this myself. Then I could show everyone how clever and fearless I am in the face of danger. I jumped at the wall and yelped when the cage fell over and I was sideways. I laid down and started to kick at the top of the cage, hoping that it would give. When it didn't I took a deep breath and looked out through the small holes in the cage to taste the fresh air. I was starting to feel a little suffocated in the cage.

I changed back into a pup and ran at the top of the cage, when that didn't work I ran at the bottom of the cage. When none of the sides would budge I began to realize I was really in trouble and panic began to sink in permanently. I began to scratch at the glass while whining and crying for someone to get me out of there.

_Mommy! Daddy! Help me! Help! _I whined and I began to tremble in the cold and in fear. The rain began to get heavier and I whined louder as I called for any one.

_Zack! Riku! Xigbar! Sora! Kairi! Hayner! SOMEONE! ANYONE! G-GET ME OUT OF HERE! _I howled, realizing that no one could hear me in the rain.

I howled again and scratched at the cage. Was anyone going to get me?

"Well, well, well… I figured these cages would come in handy. Hello there, little guy. Something tells me you're finally what I've been trying to catch!" I turned at the sound of a rough voice and I yelped at the sight of the hunter.

I growled, hoping that would scare him.

The man laughed. "You're a little spitfire. I can't wait to reveal you all to the public so that everyone can see how abominable you are! You and you're kind are gonna pay for what you've done." He said and I whined at his vicious sounding tone.

I could feel fear overwhelm me when he began to approach. I howled as loud as I could. _DAD! MOM! HELP ME PLEASE! _

"There's no use calling for help. They can't hear a small voice like yours through this rain and it's also masking your sent. When they finally sense the danger, it will be too late." The man chuckled maliciously.

I slumped to the bottom of the cage in misery. I was never going to see my pack again, all because of my foolishness.

I was such an idiot.

-The Pack-

Cloud's POV

Squall and I woke when Hayner came running back to the clearing.

'Where's Zell?'I asked when I looked around three out of the four young one's in our pack.

_I was trying to get him to come back to the clearing with us, but he ran off and I couldn't catch him. He's too fast! I don't know where he is! _Hayner said.

I sent Squall a worried look and Squall grunted to show his discomfort. I let out a small whimper when I realized I couldn't hear or smell him.

'Squall… I have a bad feeling about this…'I thought and stood. 'I have to look for him!'I said.

_I agree. _Squall said and we both took off into the rain to look for our son. I could feel my heart pounding with anxiety. I pressed my nose to the ground for any sent with even a hint of my son's on it.

When I came to the tree with a hole at the bottom I ran over to it hoping that maybe he was inside.

He wasn't and I let out a whine. Where was my son!

I ran around feeling my heart rise up to my throat in fear.

_Any luck? _I heard Squall's voice and I let out a series of whines in panic.

'I can't feel him, I can't smell him, and I can't hear him! Squall we have to find him! I w-won't be able to live with myself if something happened!' I whimpered before stuffing down my panic. It wouldn't help in this situation.

I took a deep breath and focused. I listened for anything.

And that's when I heard the tiny, desperate howl. The fear in it hit me like a freight train and I immediately felt rage flow through me as I took off full speed towards the sound.

I let out a loud howl in response. I didn't care if it blew our cover. My baby needed me and I wouldn't fail him!

I ran, letting my howls ring through the forest, praying that they would reach my baby.

And that's when I saw it. My son was trembling, soaking in a cage and that hunter was getting closer and closer.

I snarled and picked up my pace towards my son. I quickly slid in front of him, snarling at the hunter before me.

_BACK OFF! _My growls sent the message loud and clear.

"So mama comes to the rescue, huh? Today is just my lucky day! I never thought I'd be able to see too of you in one day. It's unfortunate that I only need one of you for now, and I'd prefer the pup. It'll be much easier to handle unlike you, who's full grown. I'll catch you eventually when I'm getting paid to do it." He said and pulled out a baton.

He took another step forward and I snarled bearing my teeth. I would bite him if he came any closer.

"I see that you are going to make this difficult." The man said and took another step. I lunged to bite at his leg and when I did, I completely forgot about his baton.

The most excruciating pain hit me when the baton came down on my head and I sunk my teeth deeper into his leg before a second hit took me out.

-The Pack-

Squall's POV

I could feel my fear begin to overwhelm me when my mates voice began to fade away. I growled. It was the damn rain and a new moon cycle that was dampening all of our abilities to locate each other.

I ran through the forest searching for anything that could tell me where my son went. I grunted and shook my head to prevent myself from whimpering in panic. I was a beta; I had to remain calm.

I focused every once of my energy blocking out the sound of the rain but jumped when I heard my mate's howl loud and clear.

Anxiety struck me sharply at the sound. Cloud must have been desperate if he was howling, he knew something like that could blow our cover.

It sounded again and I tried my damnedest to locate his whereabouts. It was so hard with dampened abilities.

I wasn't sure where it was but I new the general direction so I moved as fast I could.

I growled when I heard a very faint cry from my son. It only made me push harder towards them. I could hear Zack and Xigbar behind me as I ran.

I slid to a stop when I saw my mate whimpering and trying desperately to get up. Just from looking at the miserably pained look on my mates face, I knew what happened. I felt the most rotten sense of fury and rage claw it's way through my veins.

Someone had taken Zell.

I ran in the direction Cloud kept dragging himself towards. I ran, praying that I could catch up to the culprit. I ran all the way to the gates of the park. I jumped over the gate and started to whimper when I couldn't pick up not even one scent besides rain.

I let out a loud snarl before heading back into the forest. There was nothing we could do in the rain.

I found the other's trying to keep Cloud still. I moved over to him.

'D-did you g-get him back? Please, tell me you got our baby back.' Cloud looked in my eyes desperately.

I let out a small growl. _This rain masks everything… I couldn't find any sign…_

'B-but, he was j-just here! Y-YOU HAD TO BRING HIM BACK!' Cloud cried and I let out a small whine.

_I couldn't bring him back…_

'N-no…' he whimpered. "N-NOOOOOO! NO! MY BABY! NO!" Cloud screamed as he changed into his human form. His head was sporting a large gash that was dripping blood. He didn't seem to care as he cried out for Zell.

The sound of it began to break at my self-control. I was having so much trouble containing my misery and hatred.

"I LET HIM PLAY IN THE RAIN! I DID THIS! _I DID THIS!_" Cloud screamed in agony.

I snapped. _THIS ISN'T YOUR FAULT CLOUD! WE'RE GOING TO GET HIM BACK! AND WHEN I FIND THAT MAN… I'LL RIP HIS FUCKING THROAT OUT! _I snarled with rage before falling into whines of despair. _If he does anything to my son… m-my son…_

I felt my heart sink at the sight of my mate falling to pieces with anguish. I walked over to him and pressed my face to his, taking away some of the pain.

Cloud began to relax as I felt some of his distress sink into me. But I didn't let it get to me. I had to be strong for Cloud…

And for Zell.

A/N: Hehe! I bet you guys want an update, review and you might get one!


	29. Chapter 29

**The Pack**

**Disclaimer: **The plot is mine… everything else… not so much.

Chapter 29

Zell's POV

I was so cold…

I had no idea where I was… everything was so dark and I couldn't hear anything. I whimpered and crawled further to the back of the cage I was in.

How could I have been so stupid? Sora was right about what he said… I shouldn't laugh about danger because I might get hurt in the process…

And look where I am now…

I just wanted to go back to the clearing and take a nap with my mom and dad… I wanted to smell the grass and the grit in my paws as I run… I wanted to be free.

What was going to happen to me?

I winced when the room was flooded with the light from an opened door, I immediately started to howl and whine… my howls becoming more desperate as the shadow of my capturer crept closer and closer.

_SOMEONE HELP ME! _I cried, hoping that someone could hear me.

"Shut up or I'll make you shut up!" The gruff man yelled and I immediately quieted.

"Smart one…" he mumbled before crouching down to me. I whimpered at the sight of his face. His eyes were completely empty and his sneer caused me to shiver in fear. The scar across his right eye seemed to flare an angry red.

"You see this?" He pointed to the scar and I flinched at his movement. "Your kind did this to me… but that has nothing on what you did to my brother. You vicious beasts tore his arm off!" He growled lowly.

Tore an arm off? My pack wouldn't do something like that! I growled at him as if to tell him:

_YOU'RE LYING!_

"Every single one of you are vile monsters… after my brother had his arm ripped from him, he couldn't cope with his deformity and committed suicide! I swore I would avenge him by exterminating every last one of you. I hate all of you… and yet my wife still found you fascinating and left me, taking my son with her! IT'S YOUR FAULT MY BORTHER DIED AND IT'S YOUR FAULT THAT MY FAMILY HAS FALLEN APART! I SWEAR YOU WILL PAY FOR THIS!" The man screamed and I didn't dare make a noise.

There was a pause and I watched the man take a deep breath. "You see that camera over there?" I looked over to where he was pointing before turning my gaze back to his malicious face. "You can save your self from all of the tortures if you change into a human in front of it… if you do that, I'll finally have the footage to prove that you exist and people can begin to pay me to hunt you all down… you can do this the easy way or the hard way… change now unscathed, or change eventually after hours of torture… it's your pick…"

I whimpered… I knew I couldn't change no matter what. My pack has been living in the clearing so peacefully and if I reveal our secret, we'll never have that peace again.

"Either way… you're going to die…" He added before laughing and moving over to a table at the side of the room. "So what's your choice? How about I count to ten and if you don't change… let the torture begin!" He grinned. "One… Two… Three…"

I immediately began to howl and whine and whimper loudly for someone to hear me. I needed help… I WANTED TO GET OUT OF HERE!

_MOMMA! R-RIKU! DADDY! XIGBAR! Z-ZACK… _I could feel my heart begin to fill with panic as I received no response and the man in the dark room continued to count.

"Eight… Nine… Ten…" The man clucked in disappointment. "That's too bad… I thought this might be easy… but then again… I think I'm going to like this!" the man cackled and I whimpered at the rod he held in his hand… there was lightning at the end of it.

As the man approached, I closed my eyes and thought about my mom and dad…

And resigned myself to my fate.

Squall's POV

It's been three days since Zell has been captured… the pack has been working itself sick searching for him. But there isn't a scent to follow.

And we're quickly running out of options.

I whimpered softly before grunting and shaking off my despair. I couldn't let this get to me… I had to keep a level head.

Cloud was… he wasn't okay. I could feel his heart wrench and his chest burn whenever he thought about Zell. It was driving him crazy.

Sometimes he would wake up in the middle of the night screaming and crying. He barely eats or drinks, he can't focus on anything except for finding Zell, but he's become so exhausted. I finally got him to go to sleep today.

The worst thing is… a few times a day…

_MOMMY! DADDY! ANYBODY! P-PLEASE! IT HURTS!_

I shivered at the agony in Zell's voice. I looked over to Cloud who began to whine and moan in his sleep.

Randomly throughout the day, we can hear our baby screaming for help… and it's tormenting all of us. Just when we think we can pinpoint where he is, the voice is shut out and we can't hear him anymore.

_Squall? _I turned my head to see Sora approaching with his head down. I nuzzled him gently with my nose.

_Yes, Sora?_

Sore fidgeted before bursting into whines and whimpers. _I'm sorry! I-if I hadn't l-left Z-zell all alone, h-he never w-w-would have g-gotten captured! I'm s-so sorry! I w-want Zell back! I w-wanna take b-back w-what I d-did, what I-I said! I-I'll d-do anything to get him b-back! _Sora wailed his ears flat on his head and tail between his legs.

I felt my gut clench at Sora's voice. He didn't deserve the guilt he was harboring. And when I looked at everyone in the clearing… Riku humming a song to keep Kairi calm… Hayner sitting next to his mother with a look of shame on his face… Xigbar sitting at the edge of the clearing ears erect waiting for a sound, any sound that could indicate Zell's whereabouts… Xemnas and Zack were sniffing about the forest for the hundredth time for a scent…

I grabbed Sora gently by the scruff of his neck and placed him by Cloud. _I need you to watch Cloud for me. _I said and Sora stopped his whimpers to look up at me.

_Wh-where are you going? _Sora asked when I gave the clearing another glance.

It made my blood boil, to see my pack in such a state.

_I need you to keep him relaxed while I head out. I'll be back… _I said before the rage inside me seeped to the surface and I let out a snarl.

Sora gave me a brave nod before I ran out of the clearing. I ran through the trees. It was very late at night and very few people, if any, were outside. I jumped over the park gates and began to sniff around for anything.

I ran down the streets, up the alleys, around the houses, over the fences… there wasn't anything I could follow…

I whimpered and walked back up the street… There had to be something the man left behind… there's no way his plan could be that flawless.

"Oh shit! Is that you Squall… or is there a real wolf in the middle of the street?" I lifted my head and exhaled when I saw Tidus standing in the street.

I walked up to him. _It's me… Squall…_

"WAH! You can talk to me!" He yelped quietly.

_Only in this form can I speak to you this way… why are you out so late? _I asked.

"I have late evening classes at the university… I usually stay in the library until it closes and then head home… but I think the person who should really ask that question is me… isn't it dangerous to be walking around like that." He gestured to my wolf form.

I looked Tidus in the eyes… I knew he wasn't a fan of Zell's… but I needed help… I was so desperate at this point. _Help me… _I whimpered before shaking my head to get a grip on myself.

"I d-don't understand?" Tidus asked seemingly very alarmed by my behavior.

_Zell has been taken by someone… and I c-couldn't protect him… I have to get him back… I've already failed him once… I wont do it again! _I snarled in anger at myself.

Tidus' eyes widened. "The kid's been taken? Why would someone want to take the little guy? It doesn't make sense…" he said with a frown.

_It doesn't matter if it makes sense anymore… the fact of the matter is, he's been gone for three days now and Cloud can't handle it anymore… he's destroying himself with grief and exhaustion from searching! And to be honest… my pack is barely functional… and I-I'm breaking down… I don't know if you've ever felt as though there was so much weight on your shoulders that at any moment you could just collapse… but this… this is so much worse than that. I c-can't lose Zell… _

"I'm going to keep a look out for any clues… I'm going to help you find him! I won't stand for this either! Zell's only a kid!" Tidus hissed and looked to me with determination and fire in his eyes.

I could feel it fill me with a sense of hope.

_D-DAD…M-MAKE IT STOP… PLEASE…_

My heart jumped at the voice sounding and my ears twitched as I turned and ran down the street again, Tidus trialing behind me.

"What's wrong?" Tidus asked.

_I heard him again! I know he's this way… I don't know where, but he's this way! _I said and rushed forward again.

_ZELL! ZELL! I'M COMING, SON! OH G-GOD, JUST PLEASE BE SAFE! _I whined when I realized the trail I was on had reached its end.

"Squall…" Tidus said softly.

_Something is blocking our connection… I can never hear him long enough to feel where he is… and it's TORTURING me! _I snarled for the third time that night.

"Maybe you should-"

I stopped listening to Tidus when I felt the most gut wrenching pain I had ever felt before in my heart. It was so cold it burned and I felt myself go lightheaded on the impact.

_I have to go… please alert me if you find anything. _I said and ran back towards the forest.

I knew this pain… it was Cloud's. Sometimes I'd feel the slightest hint of it when he woke from his nightmare or when he was feeling particularly weak. But for me to be hit by it so suddenly at full force… something must have been wrong.

I sprinted back into the clearing and all I heard was mayhem.

The kids were crying, even Hayner, and Riku was trying so hard to console them. Zack and Xigbar were lying down whimpering softly. Larxene was pacing in distress. Xemnas was sitting with a hard look on his face.

But Cloud was sitting in the middle of the clearing, screaming and crying and shedding in distress… but he was so tired that he couldn't move much… He was not doing well… and I think that was what was affecting the back so badly.

I ran over to him and held in my whimpers at his thinning fur and painful sounding wails. Another wave of that sickly pain hit me and I broke down. My whimpers and whines sounded through the clearing and I licked at Cloud's face.

_I l-love you… and I-I'm here… s-s-so please stop! Please just stop crying! Cloud, please! _I begged him. I couldn't take much more of this.

'He's suffering! He's in so much pain! OUR BABY IS DYING AND I CAN'T EVEN FIND ENOUGH STRENGTH TO STAND! I'M NO MOHTER! WHAT KIND OF MOTHER CAN'T PROTECT HER CHILDREN? OH MY BABY! MY Z-ZELL!' Cloud was screaming and sobbing.

I growled angrily and turned into my human form before grabbing Cloud's face. "STOP IT, CLOUD! THAT'S ENOUGH!" I screamed.

Cloud jumped and whimpered quietly but stopped screaming.

"Look around you, Cloud! Look at what your pain is doing to our pack… you can't do this anymore! We understand that we have to get Zell back! We understand that… that he c-could… die. But refusing to eat and letting nightmares haunt your sleep isn't going to help you gain the strength needed to get him back! SO STOP CRYING AND LET IT GO! ZELL WILL DIE IF YOU DON'T! HE NEEDS YOU!" I yelled at Cloud, tears streaming down my face as I did so. "You're so much stronger than this…" I added softly afterwards.

Cloud bit his lip and switched to human form before embracing me tightly. "We have to g-get him b-back Squall… h-he's out there all alone and he's so afraid… I just want him to be safe…" Cloud said shivering in anguish.

"I know… I know you do… but that won't happen if you don't pull yourself together…" Squall whispered.

Cloud nodded and whimpered a little before holding his agony back. "For our family… I need to be strong…" he said quietly to convince himself.

"Yes… Cloud that's it… I heard him when I was in the city… he's in the lower end… I don't know where, but at least we have something to go on." I said.

Cloud held me tighter and sniffed. "I love you…" he said softly.

"Go to sleep." I said and released a low grumble to soothe my mate. He quickly drifted off and I held him close and looked at rest of my pack around me.

_Thank you… I didn't know how to keep order in that situation… I'm sorry I failed as your leader._

_That's not true… Xemnas you are the only one who hasn't completely broken down since this kidnapping. _Riku consoled and nuzzled his mate.

_Riku is right, Xemnas. And we're going to need you to remain as our rock until this is over. _I thought.

_But what's our plan? _Larxene asked.

_Do you think Cloud's going to be okay?_ Zack asked.

_He needs to rest… and eat a good meal tomorrow. But he should be better by tomorrow. _I said and pulled Cloud closer to me.

_I just want us all to be okay. _Hayner said and Sora and Kairi nodded.

_We will be, guys… _Xigbar said and looked at me.

_Yeah… we will be. _I finished and looked towards the city.

Only time would tell.

A/N: Yes… I know, a depressing chapter… but the next chapter will be the CLIMAX of this lovely story so stay tuned! I started school again but if you guys review, I'll try to squeeze in time during the week to update sooner than next weekend. You know what to do! :D


	30. Chapter 30

**The Pack**

**Disclaimer:** You guys already know...

Chapter 30

Zell's POV

I... I don't think I'm gonna get out of this alive...

I was so alone... And I haven't heard or felt a word of my pack since I got here.

I REALLY missed my family... I miss the way my mom would curl around me at night. I miss racing with my dad. I miss the way Zack and Xigbar would always laugh at the funny things I said even though no one else did. I miss playing with Sora and Kairi and Hayner. I even miss the looks Riku gave me when I would bite his tail... And I miss the secure feeling I would always have with Xemnas silently watching.

I felt my heart sink when I realized that I would probably never feel that again. My ears twitched when I heard the front door open and the feet of my tormentor approach this room.

When the door opened I made no move to howl or cry; I didn't even bother to move. If I did that, I shivered at the thought.

I shied away from the approaching feet and waited for something to happen.

"Alright kid, my patience is wearing thin. You _will_ change in front of that camera within the week or I'll dispose of you and go for another one of the pups. I'm sure the little girl will break much easier..." the man cackled.

I felt my anger rise and I growled lowly at him. I didn't care what happened to me, but I would never allow this monster to hurt my pack. He had done enough already.

"Still got some fight in you, huh? We'll fix that problem quickly." I yowled when ye suddenly rammed the electric rod into my side.

The man laughed again before moving to the table for his next tool for torture.

-The Pack-

Cloud's POV

I woke with a dull burn in my chest. I looked up to see Squall dropping food in front of me.

_Eat._ He said.

I nodded and ate the food presented to me. When I was done I looked to my mate. 'Are we going to search the lower end for Zell?' I asked.

My mate grunted in affirmation. I stood and shook myself off. I felt much better after my complete breakdown.

_I want to look with you too._ Zack said with a determined look on his face. I gave him a small smile.

'Thanks Zack.' I said before switching to my human form and putting on my clothes before heading out of the clearing.

As we walked down the streets of the lower end of the city, I growled softly.

It was very hard to look for specific kinds of suspicious activity when suspicious activity was all around you. I noticed two people in the alleyway making some sort of transaction and I frowned.

"What are ya lookin' at?" One of the men called angrily.

I flashed them a glare and I was almost surprised when they backed down and turned from me.

_Oo, the measly humans can sense the angry beast inside!_ Zack said with a short laugh.

I sent Zack another small smile. 'I love you, brother.' I thought softly to him.

_I love you too, Cloud. Man, it smells so bad around here!_ Zack said and covered his nose.

I frowned when I heard Squall growl shortly. _This isn't working..._ He thought and I felt a flash of fury in my chest.

I pressed myself against him for comfort and sighed. I knew the wall that he built to rein in his anger was slowly beginning to crack. I wasn't going to let him break; I could be strong for him too.

I sent him a feeling of determination and he pulled me closer to him.

'We won't be able to find him until the calls for us. I can't even smell myself in this place... I say we stay at the edge of south side and wait for Zell to call for us. As much as I don't want this to be true, he's probably too weak to sense us anymore.' I thought to everyone, including the others watching the kids in the clearing.

When I received affirmative grunts from everyone. We moved to where we would remain relatively unnoticed and waited.

-The Pack-

John's POV

My mother was sending me to my Dad's. Evidently, he got a new apartment and my mother wanted me to make sure he was settled in and that everything was fine.

"If you're so concerned why don't _you_ just check on him..." I grumbled. I understood why my parents separated, but I also knew that they didn't actually want to separate.

My mom still loves my dad.

My dad still loves my mom.

But like my mother, I didn't want to live with a poacher as a dad. Ever since my uncle's suicide, he's been obsessed with killing Loup Garou.

I didn't think it made much since. We all used to be so happy, you know? I remember my parents telling me stories about all different kinds of animals, especially Loup Garou... I remember the smiles and the adventures we took in discovering more about those amazing creatures.

My uncle was a poacher and in a poaching accident, he lost his arm. Sure, we were all very upset when we heard the news... But I think my mother and I and even my uncle understood something that my father couldn't: there were many dangers involved in poaching and my uncle took that risk and suffered the consequences. He knew there was a chance something like that could happen. And even though he didn't expect it to affect him so much, he never blamed the Loup Garou.

My dad never realized that and is still trying to exterminate the Loup Garou. Luckily, I don't really think there are any here. My dad hasn't caught and killed any.

I don't think I'd be able to live with him if he did that. My mom doesn't want anything to do with him until he's thrown out this stupid notion of revenge.

I sure hope he does soon... I miss our family being our family...

"John, you need to go now. Take your bike and don't forget that stun gun I bought you... I really don't like that area he's in... It's way too sketchy." my mom said and I growled after finishing my sandwich and standing.

I walked to the garage, grabbed my bike, and made my way over to the south end of the city. When I got to my Dad's crappy apartment building, I pulled out the piece of paper that had his apartment number. I locked my bike up and walked up the stairs.

On the way up I bumped into someone and their books fell to the ground.

"Ah! Sorry man, let me help you." I said and moved back down the stairs to pick up his books.

"It's fine, you seemed a little out of it." The tall blond said.

"Yeah... I guess you could say I was. Here are your books." I said and handed them to him.

"Thanks man, are you the new guy who just moved in?" The blond asked.

"Actually my dad just moved in. I'm visiting him." I said.

"Well, I'm your Dad's new neighbor then... I'm Tidus." He said and I smiled.

"I'm John." I said, happy to know that there were some decent people in this part of the city.

"Do you know about his new dog? He makes so much noise sometimes... I keep wanting to tell your pops that he needs to let the little guy out from time to time... He just cries and cries and I wonder sometimes if your dad knows what he's doing." Tidus said and I frowned.

"I didn't know about his new dog, I'll check and as what's going on..." I said with a dreadful feeling.

"Good, thanks and see you later!" Tidus said and I continued my way up the stairs.

I walked up to my Dad's door and knocked. When the door opened I stormed into the room and looked around. "Where is it?" I asked.

"Where is what, exactly?" my father asked.

"Where's the Loup Garou you captured? I know you wouldn't get a dog! You never liked the idea of pets." I said with an expectant look.

"I don't know what you're talking about..." My dad said and I walked over the first door I saw and opened it.

It was a bathroom.

I looked and moved to the next door.

Bedroom.

I moved to the last door and tried the door. It was locked.

"What's behind this door, dad?" I asked.

"That's none of your concern, son." My dad answered and tried to pull me from the door.

"Open the door..." I said and I was ignored.

"Open the goddamned door, Auron!" I yelled and looked my father straight in the eyes.

My father sighed and pushed me from the door. "No." He replied.

I glared at him. "If you kill that Loup Garou, Dad, I'll never talk to you again and neither will mom. You've got to stop this... Or you'll lose everything. I'm leaving..." I said and moved towards the front door.

I wouldn't have anything to do with this.

-The Pack-

Auron's POV

When my son closed the door I growled lowly.

Why couldn't anyone see the justice in my actions? Those Loup Garou monsters deserved to die after what they did to my brother... What they did to my family.

I felt a wave of rage crash over me and I opened the back room and stormed inside before slamming the door shut. I looked to the cage and saw the little white pup curled in the corner. I kicked the cage and the little monster yelped.

"YOU ARE GOING TO FUCKING CHANGE RIGHT NOW! IT'S YOUR FAULT MY SON HATES ME!" I screamed and the creature didn't make a sound. He didn't even look at me.

He was mocking me, laughing at me silently. He was saying: I don't give a shit about your woes... They just prove that I'm stronger.

"I see... You need some persuading then..." I said and moved over to my table. I turned on the old fashioned furnace and placed my tool inside.

"I hate you and the rest of your wretched kind... You deserve worse than a slow and painful death." I said and I felt my heart clench at the memory of my wife casting me a disgusted glance as she walked out the door, my son trailing behind her.

They are my everything; they were my pack and the Loup Garou took that from me. The creatures I used to admire, the very animals I felt that I could identify with... I was betrayed.

I hissed at that thought and grabbed my tool from the furnace and walked over to the little demon. "I'm going to count to three and if you're not changed by then, this brand is going to burn you. One..."

The pup stood.

"Two..." I continued.

I glared at the devil when it looked me straight in the eye... the blue and gold flashing for a second before burning softly. There was little fear expressed in those eyes... There was only a look of disdain and regret.

They were so similar to the eyes of my son... It only made me resent him more.

"Three!" I yelled in anger and thrusted the scalding hot brand against him.

The pup howled in pain, whimpering and whining with agony. I grinned.

"I'm going to let that wound sizzle for a while and when I come back, I'll ask the same question with the same consequences." I said and left the room.

There was no way he was going to stay in that form now... He knew what was coming to him.

-The Pack-

Tidus' POV

I walked back into my apartment building and collapsed onto my bed. I was so tired...

Evening classes, work, family, and then worrying about Cloud's kid on top of that... It's completely exhausting.

Zell... I hope he's okay... I've been keeping an eye out for things and I have yet to really find any clues. It was bothersome.

I was about to head off to sleep when I heard howls and whines through the wall. I growled.

My neighbor really needed to take better care of that dog! And be more considerate about the people trying to sleep.

There was another howl and it suddenly hit me.

It's been a week since the guy's been here and I haven't seen his dog once... His son also didn't know about it... and from all the noises I hear through the door, I have not heard one bark.

Holy fuck! Maybe...

Wait, I have to check this out... I can't just jump to conclusions like that.

I got out of bed and headed out my front door. I walked over to the apartment on my left and knocked on the door.

After about a minute, the door opened to reveal the burly looking man with the scar on his eye.

"Can I help you?" he asked.

"Yeah, sorry to bother you... But is your dog okay? I can hear him whining and hollering through the wall and it's hard for me to sleep with that..." I trailed off.

"The dog is fine, he just really hates being put in the kennel at night." The man said and I frowned when a soft whine came from the apartment.

"Do you think he needs to take a walk? I can walk him if you want, maybe it will calm him down a little." I suggested hoping he would let me see the dog and I could prove myself wrong.

"That's not necessary." The man replied and I slipped into his apartment. My neighbor frowned and stood in the open doorway.

"Are you sure? Because people say I'm really good with dog's..." I heard another small whimper and I decided to test and see if I was correct in my assumptions.

"Actually, my best friend Cloud has a dog named Zell and I see him all the time!" said loudly so that my voice could he heard through the door.

I frowned when suddenly the howling and whining increased ten fold. They sounded so desperate.

I couldn't believe it...

-The Pack-

Squall's POV

It was getting really late and I was worried about my son. We hadn't heard him call out to us at all.

Cloud took my hand and looked at me. "I'm sure he's fine. We've raised a strong boy so far." He said and I offered him the slightest hint of a smile.

"The first thing I'm teaching him when we get him back is how to listen for danger... This is never happening again." I said and Zack nodded.

"Never again." Zack repeated.

Suddenly, Cloud froze and I immediately realized what he was doing.

He was intensely focused on listening. Zack said I looked at each other before focusing as well.

_...it...It hurts... It bur-..._

It was Zell... We could barely hear him. I tried my hardest to sense where the call was but it was too feint.

"Oh god... I c-can't feel him! I can't feel him!" My mate cried. I frowned; I couldn't sense him either.

As the small whimpers continued to sound in our ears, I could feel my blood begin to boil.

I could feel Cloud and Zack beginning to burn with rage. I heard my mate let out a snarl.

"I'm going to kill him..." Cloud said softly, his voice enflamed and tears simmering to the brim of his eyes.

We all started when my son's voice started blaring in our ears.

_T-TIDUS? IS THAT YOU! MAMA! DAD! TIDUS IS HERE! PLEASE HELP! GET ME OUT OF HERE, P-PLEASE!_

I immediately began to run, I could finally sense where he was. I watched as Cloud pull ahead of me and felt Zack at my heels.

The apartment was in the shadiest corner of the city. We climbed up the stairs and I watched Cloud run through the open door. Zack and I entered soon after. Cloud broke down what I assumed was the locked door and I felt weight lifted from my soldiers when I heard the relieved cries of my son.

Suddenly something came swinging towards my head and I ducked out of the way. I turned to see the man that had tortured my baby and I felt myself burn with anger again.

He swung the bat at me a second time and I caught it. I pulled it out of his arms and with a growl, snapped it on half. Zack and I snarled at the man and began to corner him in the room.

"What are you guys gonna do to him?" I heard Tidus asked.

I suddenly felt a wave of fury and sadness hit me and I heard Cloud scream.

"Kill him! I want him dead! He branded my son! I'll rip his fucking arms off and beat him with them!" Cloud walked out of the back room holding our baby close, tears of rage in his eyes.

He sent the man a cold glare. "What has my son done to deserve this? We haven't done anything to anyone here!" Cloud cried in despair and I snarled at the man.

"That pup is a monster and so are these two! Why are you with them? They'll betray you!" the gruff man yelled at Cloud.

I watched as Cloud gently placed our whimpering pup down before he took off his shirt and changed into his wolf form.

"He's one of us!" I gritted out angrily.

The man stared at Cloud in shock. "How did this happen? You don't have ears!" The man yelled.

"Why should ears matter? The fact is, you need to leave us alone! You can't kill us, we're everywhere!" Zack yelled.

Cloud growled at the man and moved to lick Zell's wounds. I snarled when I saw how bad they were.

"You are gonna fucking pay for what you did to my son!" I yelled and Cloud grabbed his clothes before he moved back to the back room.

When he came back I realized what he was going to do.

"Hold him." He said and Zack and I were happy to oblige.

"Cloud... Are you sure this is a good idea?" Tidus asked.

"An eye for an eye." Cloud said in a deadly voice before gripping the hot brand tightly.

"Cloud?" My ear twitched at the new voice in the room.

Cloud looked over and sighed. "John, what are you doing here?" Cloud asked.

"It's not just me, my mom's coming too. We were going to take the Loup Garou he captured away from him... But it seems you beat me to it. Ummm... What is going on? Who are they and why are you holding that thing up to my dad?" The boy, John, asked.

"Auron! We are taking that Loup Garou! You are not going to torture that poor creature any-AH! What's happening!" a female voice sounded by I didn't take my eyes off of the man in front of me.

"This man here kidnapped and tortured my son... And we are seconds away from giving him what he deserves." I said and glared coldly into the man's eyes.

"I can't believe my first encounter with fully grown Loup Garou would be under these circumstances. Auron... This obsession over revenge has got to stop... This isn't justice for your brother anymore. You're hurting innocent people... A child? How would you like it if a complete stranger took John and tortured him for the sake of revenge? You know this isn't right..." the woman said.

Auron growled. "They took you away from me! They broke us apart!" he yelled.

"No Auron, it was your hatred that made me leave. Even your brother understood that the Loup Garou were not to be blamed for what happened. I couldn't live with a man who couldn't let go. And I didn't want John to grow up in that hateful environment so I took him with me. I don't understand why you can't just leave this behind and come back to us. John and I want our family to be complete again too, and it all depends on you."

"I thought you didn't want anything to do with me. I thought you didn't want me back." Auron said.

"Dad, we don't want anything to do with his kind of behavior... I want us to go back to the way it was. I want to be able to talk to you about anything... I want you to be someone I can be proud of and look up to... I just want my dad back!" John said.

"So if I give up on this... We can be a family again?" Auron asked.

"Yes!" John and the female said together.

"Well that's all fine and fucking dandy, but what about what you did to my son? Where is his justice in this!" Cloud yelled angrily.

"That's a good question..." Tidus said awkwardly.

"Cloud... I know my dad did something horrible... But please, forgive him." John said.

"My son and my wife were right... The little pup didn't deserve the torture I forced on him... And I'm sorry... I'll take out all my traps and never show my face in the forest again. I'll leave you alone and I'll make sure others leave you alone too... I really lost it for a while and actually thought I was finding justice for my brother... I-I... I'm so sorry." Auron said and I growled.

"If I see you trying to hunt anything in that forest... I won't hesitate to kill you. This will not happen again." I said with a voice that held no room for argument.

"As much as I wanted to slam this hot metal rod down your throat... Zell wouldn't want me to do that. He sees good in everyone... And that's something will never do. So watch yourself." Cloud said, anger and pain still present in his voice.

"We're not that different from you, Auron. We're not a bunch of monsters... We feel and we think... Probably way more often than most humans do." Zack said.

"Well, I think we should all just go our separate ways now... Are you coming to work tomorrow, Cloud? I know it's been a really rough week for you..." Tidus asked.

Cloud shook his head. "I want to make sure my son is alright. But I'll be there on Sunday." he said.

"Let's move out..." I said and picked up my son who was still sleeping soundly on the floor. I rumbled low in my chest to offer him comfort as I moved towards the door.

"Remember what I said..." I added before leaving, Cloud and Zack trailing behind me.

-The Pack-

Cloud's POV

When we got back to the clearing... It was like the sun escaped from the cloud's clutches and things were falling into place again.

_Zell's back! _The kids yipped happily and I sighed in relief, a few tears falling slowly down my face.

'Yes... He's back...' I said softly and placed him down on the soft grass in the clearing. I smiled when I saw him sigh and stretch out in his sleep.

'I don't know about you guys... But I think it's time to cuddle.' I said and felt my heart flutter when my kids beamed at me.

_Yeah! I wanna sleep next to Zell!_ Sora yipped.

_I wanna sleep next to him!_ Kairi whined.

_Could I join you?_ I smiled and nodded at Hayner.

'Of course you can! I think Zell would really like if he woke up to all of us around him.' I said and settled down.

_I think we're all kind of tired... I say it's pack naptime, right Xemnas?_ Riku said giving his mate a look.

Xemnas stood and walked over to his mate without a word and laid himself down in the most dignified manner possible. Riku huffed and settled down as well next to Sora and Kairi.

_CUDDLES!_ Zack yelled and snuggled next to Hayner with Xigbar following soon after, shaking his head at his mate's silliness.

Larxene sighed and moved over to the steadily growing huddle... I knew that on the inside, she wanted to snuggle too.

When Squall finally laid himself down next to me, I knew that the nightmare that we were living was finally over. I pulled Squall into a kiss and sighed happily at the feeling.

This was how life should be...

THE END!

A/N: So there you have it! I'm currently brainstorming about the sequel so you'll probably see that some time soon. I'm also thinking a lot about the **FIRE** prequel that a lot of people wanted to see. The sequel to this story will be called **The Pack: Two Tails. **Yes I did just destroy your soul with a shitty pun. And yes, since the story is halfway devoted to Roxas/Axel, there are essentially 2 stories in one. Also, if you want to look out for the **FIRE **prequel as well, it's going to be called, **Into the Flames.** Thanks so much for reading and to all of you wonderful people that reviewed. You guys mean a lot to me! I hope to see your reviews for this and future fics!


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